Pushing Boundaries - Rosemary Carstens

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I WAS young, I painted the
"WHEN
beauty I saw in the world around me. As
I got older, it became more important to
paint the /elr world-to dive beneath the
surface and represent the internal, intrinsic qualities of my subject matter." This
statement by master painter Dan McCaw
reveals his evolving philosophy over a
career spanning more than 40 years. His
highly acclaimed work is revered by aficionados of both impressionism and expressionism-a rare achievement-and he
strives to extend his art's visual message
to his work as mentor, teacher, and author.
McCaw is one of America's most respected contemporary impressionists,
and early in his career he became known
for his romantic portrayals of women and
children bathed in a golden glow. Impressionism has been described as "poetry
of light," and McCaw's paintings in this
style contain an unquestionable lyricism,
a melodic quality that makes a distinctive
DanMcCawstrivesfor
increasingly
personal
interpretations
in hislatest
expressrve
canvases
statement in such works as MOTHERAND
cHtro [page 96]. This painting exempliftes
the artist's ability to sensitively portray
his subjects, as well as his knowledge and
mastery of color. Overall effect is emphasized rather than details, delicacy and subtlety rather than power. The viewer is invited to connect the dots, to narrate a story
framed by his or her own experiences.
Maryvonne Leshe has represented
McCaw at Trailside Galleries in Jackson, WY, and Scottsdale, AZ, for nearly
three decades-a clear indication of her
enthusiasm for his work. "The sheer joy
and exuberance that Dan experiences in
creating his art is contagious, and the expressive content ofhis paintings emanates
representation
Gallery 1261,Denver,CO;TrailsideGalleries,
Scottsdale,AZ, andJackson,WY; Morris &
Whiteside Galleries,Hilton Head,SC.
< S u n d a yE r u n c h ,o i l , 4 8 x 4 0 .
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M o t h e r & C h i t d .o i l . 4 0 x 1 0 .
S e a t e d F i g u r e ,o i [ , 4 8 x 3 6 .
an energy that is palpable," she says. "His
subject matter is imbued with rich color
and texture, to which he adds the mystique of suggestion. Added to the mix is
his unique insight and myriad ways of
interpreting the subject-and therein lies
the difference between mere painter and
truly inspired visionary artist."
Although McCaw is still working figuratively, in recent years he's moved to
more personal interpretations. He increasingly accentuates essential shapes
to capture his subjects' inner landscape,
trumping mere physical beauty. The artist credits such masters as Edouard Vuillard, Pierre Bonnard, Gustav Klimt, An-
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toni Tdpies, and the post-World War II
abstract expressionists for setting him
on the road to less literal representations.
McCaw feels that "a lot of creativity just
needs a breath of encouragement to lift
its wings," and the inspiration he has tak
en from these artists has pushed his own
work to new heights.
In a recent series of his expressionist
paintings, each canvas features a solitary
figure, almost shadowlike, somewhat distorted or elongated, with arms at its sides.
There is a sense that the figure is waiting for what happens next. To the artist
these figures represent the characteristics
within all of us that are pushed back into
the shadows as we go about meeting life's
daily demands. They await their opportunity to spring forth and flower.
In such painterly scenes as SEATEDFIGURE, McCaw expands our understanding
of so-called objective reality to accessthe
heart and soul of his subiect. He began
by eliminating nonessential detail, using
rich, dark hues to heighten the effect of
the figure's luminous glow, and employs a
flurry of lost edges to achieve its ethereal,
poetic imagery. As he explains, "Harmony of shape, design, and texture were
more important to me than specifics." As
he translates the figure's facade to reveal
its true authenticity, he invites his viewers to join him on a journey.
Quang Ho, a master painter himself
and owner of Gallery 126l in Denver, says
that "McCaw reaches out to just beyond
the normal comfort zone. This takes his
works to delightful and surprising new
ri',lt:f:i
places. He goes way beyond the subject
matter and is dealing with paint and
visual dialog on a personal level. When
all that happens on a structurally sound
foundation, good things happen for art."
MCCAW DID not grow up surrounded
by art, although he began sketching and
drawing in early childhood. He was
raised in the hardscrabble Irish-Catholic
mining town of Bume, MT. Life there valued toughness over artistry, and it was
assumed he might follow in the footsteps
of his ironworker father. After high school
he spent a year and a half "wandering
the halls" at Montana Institute of Technology, wondering what to do nexr. He
married young and supported his family
by working in construction in the San
Francisco Bay Area while he attended San
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Francisco's Academy of Art University,
taking classesas he was able. His ability
soon won hlm a scholarship.As he puts it
now, " Ihose were rough times, but colorful, really colorful."
He and his wife, Stacey,moved to Los
Angeles a couple of years later, where
they raised five children and still reside.
Upon arrival he went to work as an illustrator for a commercial art firm, but all
the while he longed to pursue a fine-art
career and attended night classesat the
Art Center College of Design in Pasadena.
(He later taught there for l7 years.) McCaw's natural inquisitiveness and willingness to explore served him well, as his
knowledge of artists and techniques expanded. A number of the great European
artists captured his attention, especially
Joaquln Sorolla, whose exquisite works
are particularly distinguishable for their
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"Harmonyof shape,design,andtexture
aremoreimportantto me than specifics."
depiction of light and their design. They
inspired McCaw to focuson honing these
skills in his own work.
As he becamefirmly rooted in Los Angeles, McCaw realized he was always
meant to be a "city boy." He still occasionallyspendstime at his family's Montana home near Glacier National Park,
but he responds most to the constantly
changing action of a rnetropolis. "I love
thebtzz of urban settings-that buffet of
cultures, architecture, and art that you
only ftnd in major cities,"he says."I need
the energyof spinning around to seeit all
as you walk down the street."
Today McCaw shares a grand 5,000square-footwork space-once a ballet studio-with his sonsJohn and Danny, both
accomplishedartists in their own right.
Danny's style is representationaland impressionistic;John's is abstract. Their father loves the energy of their studio and
the opportunities it presents for sharing
ideas and music. He feelsthat he learns as
much from his sonsas they do from hirn.
Beneathits vaulted, l4-foot-high ceiling, the studio is a treasuretrove of art.
Finished and unfinished paintings of all
sizes are stackedfive and six deep along
the walls surrounding each man's work
area. A kaleidoscopeof bold hues and
shadowy tones meet the eye in an irnpressive array of interpretive compositions. In one section,groupsof paintings
featuringDan'senigmaticabstractfigures
gather like relativesat a family reunion.
The upstairs loft is jammed to capacity
with filing cabinets,bookshelves,desks,
computer equipment, boxes filled with
odds and ends, exercisernachines,and
a punching bag-there's barely a square
foot of open floor space.This is a truly
lived-in studio. a no-holds-barredbunker
where creativity and exploration reign.
Change,pushingboundaries,and keen
observationof everything around him are
at the core of McCaw's personal belief
system and his philosophy as an artist.
He pusheshimself to keep growing and
'1a\
,di.
Collaboration. oil. 36 x 24.
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learning. He has not only achieved substantial recognition as an artist but also
spent many years as a teacher and published art books. His first, AProvenStrategy
for CreatingGredtArt, was instructional, but
the one he's presently laboring over expresses his deeply held convictions about
the creative potential of every human being. ThePurpleTreeis the story of how children begin with an inexhaustible supply
of imagination and creativity but, as they
receive such input as "trees are green and
the sky is blue," their natural tendency to
experiment is suppressed.
Over a lifetime, McCaw says, most peo-
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ple are barraged with messagesthat suggest that conformance is good and individual deviation is not. In the new book, he
points out that people become more fearful
as they grow up, more dependent on affirmation lrom others, and more resistant to
change. ThePurpleTree
is a road map meant
to encourage people to embrace change,
seek new worlds, and explore unusual
solutlons. "Change drives creativity," he
says."It's like stepping in wet cement-the
more you stand in one place, the more difficult it becomesto move on."
Ultimately McCaw is a painter on a
quest, tilting not at windmills but at artis-
tic boundaries. Guided by a restlessinner
compass, he continually explores his own
emotional landscape and that of his subjects, taking his viewers on journeys into
unexplored territory. There is no doubt
that those who most appreciate fine art
will want to come along for the ride. .:.
Rosemary
Carstens
writesfor several
national
magazinesandpublishes
the award-winning
webzine
The
Feast
at www.feastofbooks.com.
paintings
Seemoreof McCaw's
at
www.southwestart.com.
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