Today we’d like to introduce you to Danny Heller.
Danny, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
Growing up in the suburbs of the San Fernando Valley, known as “America’s Suburb,” I was exposed to classic cars, vast amounts of post-war tract homes, and midcentury strip malls. I didn’t think much of it at the time and soon left the Valley to study painting at UC Santa Barbara. Upon returning home, I realized that the stereotypical bland suburbs were actually quite exceptional. There was a culture to these clusters of tract homes, this American dream. I would then notice this quintessential suburban imagery pop up in films like Edward Scissor Hands and shows like The Brady Bunch, among others. After focusing on the token suburbs, I transitioned to the more sleek midcentury Modern homes – it was a natural progression.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
My artwork has come to focus on mid-century American imagery, specifically the architecture, design, and car culture found in California.
Working in an almost photo-realistic style, my paintings display a palette not only reflecting the bright, airy California atmosphere, but also the harsh shadows characteristic of the region’s beloved noir imagery. With great attention to detail, I capture the dynamic traits of Modernist architecture that made it so avant-garde at the time: sleek roof lines, wide expanses of glass, minimal geometric forms. Often paired with similar cars of the period, the work shows how powerful and compelling mid-century design was and how we can learn from it today. My paintings are as much a celebration of a bygone era as they are a foreboding documentation of structures under constant threat of vanishing.
Have things improved for artists? What should cities do to empower artists?
I would say conditions are pretty favorable for artists today. With the whole digital revolution, artists now have multiple platforms to get their art out there. I’ve made sales to people I’ve never met, who haven’t seen the work in person, who live in countries I’ve never visited. And each artist has the power to control how the work gets out there since they control their own website and social media. However, there is a bit more competition these days with so many artists having multiple outlets. But I think sticking with it and being diligent with producing artwork and getting it out there will eventually pay off. Cities can play their part by giving artists public art opportunities – murals, block parties with live demos, art placement on mass transit, etc.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I typically have a show once a year at the George Billis Gallery in Los Angeles, as well as their New York location. However, this year, I’m excited to have my first international solo show in Madrid at La Fiambrera Gallery from April through June. Otherwise, people can visit my website www.DannyHellerArt.com to see the full selection of my work and even order exclusive giclee prints.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.DannyHellerArt.com
- Email: danny@dannyhellerart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannyhellerart/
- Facebook: Danny Heller Art
- Twitter: @Danny_Heller
Image Credit:
Headshot courtesy of Maria Zang
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