Daniel J. Keys: Odysseys in Painting
This past April at the Portrait Society’s 20th anniversary Art of the Portrait conference, artist Daniel J. Keys took home the William Draper Grand Prize for his remarkable painting Innocence. The award-winning work is a tender depiction of two children ensconced amongst a splendid collection of alluring objects. According to Keys, who is widely known for his exquisite floral compositions, winning the Draper Prize came as a complete surprise. Recently, I had the chance to catch up with Keys and talk about his whirlwind experience at the conference, the inspiration behind Innocence and what he’s been up to since April.
“Innocence features the two children of my artist friend Adam Longatti, who teaches at the state university here in Fresno where I grew up. I often paint with him, and when I wanted to depict children within a larger composition, he volunteered his little angels,” Keys explains. The narrative of this work is purposefully ambiguous and designed to evoke a mood rather than a particular place so viewers are reminded of their own memories and of something deeply universal—the innocence of childhood. On this Keys says, “I wanted it to be a scene where people could create their own narrative. It’s about that fleeting moment that is part of the human experience of being a child, of being innocent.” For me, this painting is equally about childlike curiosity and recalls that period in life when every day holds the promise of new experiences and unexplored mysteries. At the center of the canvas, the precocious boy thoughtfully examines the caged bird, perhaps considering what might happen if he dared to set his feathered companion free. Unaware or simply unbothered by the scene behind her, the young girl remains lost within the pages of her book. Clearly, reading from the opening chapters, she too is at the beginning of her own story.
Following his big win, Keys embarked on a monthlong European sojourn with artist friend Richie Carter, taking in the historic sights of Florence, Paris and Rome. In Paris, Keys and Carter shared a flat located in the Montmartre District, a favored gathering place for artists during the Belle Époque. Trudging up seven flights of stairs each day seemed like a small price to pay for the incredible view from their balcony—a view that would inspire Keys’ work Montmartre Nocturne. About the work, Keys recalls, “I was so tired after a night out that I was certain I’d crash as soon as we returned. But once I stepped onto the balcony, I realized just how temporary this whole experience really is… and when it’s over it’s gone forever. Unless I paint it.” Explaining further he says, “There are many moments that I’ve likely forgotten about in all my adventures. But not the ones I’ve painted. I relive those moments again, and again.” With the Eiffel Tower
glowing in the distance and the lamplight street shining up from above, this nocturnal scene is perhaps a perfect portrait of the famed “City of Light.”
While picking a favorite European city is like trying to choose a favorite gelato flavor, Keys admits that Rome holds a special place in his heart. The Italian painter and architect Giotto once described Rome as “the city of echoes, the city of illusions and the city of yearning.” This was Keys’ first visit to Rome, and the paintings he created certainly display a sense of yearning and admiration for the Eternal City. On his last day, he spotted a clergyman in a white cassock exiting a church at dusk, and while others might have seen a typical Roman street scene, Keys saw his next painting. Caught without his paint and brushes or even a sketchbook, he quickly snapped a picture with his cellphone. He says, “I walked back to my apartment from dinner
on my last night alone in the city, and this was the scene. All awash in pink light, it so perfectly summed up how I felt about this beautiful place. I don’t think I can ever forget that moment or this scene.” Upon his return, Keys would paint La Città Eterna al Tramonto, or The Eternal City at Dusk, the largest of his works from this trip and my personal favorite. Some say that all great art captures a time, a place and an emotion—and Keys’ work accomplishes that aim superbly. Rome is a city both modern and ancient with intertwining layers of history, language and culture. This notion is embodied perfectly in the cassocked man who represents a different age—a reminder of Rome’s tumultuous religious history—and yet, his appearance fits easily into the modern street scene. This past July, as a perfect culmination to their European adventure, Keys and Carter exhibited their paintings from the trip in a nearly sold- out show called Sojourners at Montana Gallery in Billings, Montana.
From European cites with their crowded streets and towering architecture, where a city’s history is palpably felt around every corner, Keys traveled next to the wide- open and majestic vistas of the American West. In Montana, Keys met up with a small cohort of artist friends, driving into the heart of Yellowstone to spend a few weeks hiking, rafting, and of course, painting. Keys has been traveling to Montana for years to relish in the grandeur of its mountains, which he fondly refers to as “the original cathedrals.” On this trip, he completed
Twin Lakes Shoreline after a strenuous hike down to one of the lakes near Bear Tooth Pass. Nestled at the lake’s edge, Keys and friends spent the day laughing, painting and warding off mosquitoes. Keys is one of those contemporary painters who truly paints beautiful things beautifully, but his work is about so much more. His paintings have pushed me to look more closely at cityscapes and landscapes, to absorb more than the emotional experience, and to see the subtleties of light, color and atmosphere within the scene.
Currently, Keys’ works are represented by The Legacy Gallery, Montana Gallery, West Wind Fine Art and Gallery 1261, and information about his upcoming shows and workshops can be found on his website. Also, be sure to look out for more of his work being exhibited this November in a two-person show with artist and Montana Gallery owner Tyler Murphy. And if you’d like to meet Keys in person and try to convince him to take you along on his next painting adventure, he will be returning as faculty for next year’s annual Portrait Society conference in Atlanta, Georgia.