Elder Gallery
presents

San Francisco Artist, Daniel Bayless

Daniel Bayless’ paintings in his second exhibition in Charlotte reflect his positive perspective of the world and its beauty. His paintings are filled with color, light and texture and capture the brilliance of sunlight on the landscapes of California, New York and Italy. His painti ngs of interior spaces are brilliantly colored and are charged with energy and excitement.

Bayless observes the natural elements contained within a scene. Using bold brushwork and luminosity, he arranges them within the frame of his canvas in such a manner that the viewer experiences the focused energy and spontaneity apparent in each scene. "I want to evoke the feeling of what a scene means to me when I look at it," Bayless says. "The vitality of color, the energy of the relationship of the viewer and the subject, whether it’s a vibrating, sunny landscape or a still controlled interior; those are the messages that are important to me."

Bayless was born in Borger, Texas and lives in San Francisco. At a young age, he began to observe the fluid nature of these colors, always changing in the sunlight. As a result, his parents promptly enrolled him in children’s oil painting class at the age of five. Bayless won National Merit Scholarship awards each year during his four year high school career. In 1974, the young artist studied with Russian painter, Sergei Bongart. Impressed with his student’s talents, Bongart offered Bayless a scholarship.

Painting is not the only passion in Bayless’ life. He is an accomplished jewelry designer. After attending the University of Arizona, Bayless left for New York, where he completed his degree at the Abbey School for Jewelry and Art Metal Design. He was apprenticed to Maurice Galli, head designer of the prestigious Fifth Avenue firm of Harry Winston.

He continued to paint as well. Bayless met and worked with abstract expressionist Fred Mitchell. The influence of Mitchell’s abstraction combined with the powerful colorist influence of Bongart’s Impressionism, provide the foundation upon which Bayless creates his paintings. Attention to detail and design, essential in crafting fine jewelry, also influences his oils.

Bayless’ paintings are included in both private and corporate collections throughout the United States, Mexico, England, Hong Kong and Japan. His collectors include such luminaries as Elizabeth Taylor and the late Leonard Bernstein. His corporate collectors include: The Disney Corporation, Omni Hotels, The Breakers, Moore & Van Allen, and MCrowd Dallas.

On October 5, 2007, Elder Gallery will host an artist reception from 6:00 until 9:00 p.m. The exhibition will run through October 31, 2007.

Scroll down to view partial list of painting in exhibition.