Daniel Bahn

ARTIST STATEMENT

Nature is a continually changing spectacle of light, shadow, texture, and layers of color. To paint is to free oneself and embrace the whole of nature in its beauty. My atmospheric paintings represent a view of our environment which is profoundly powerful yet implausibly fragile.

Using an intuitive and expressive approach, I build and remove layers to render a mosaic of depth and texture in search of an emotion. Each stroke of the brush and knife must feel comfortable and instinctive to have value in my work. The canvas can only be a snapshot of something more, left to the imagination of what lies beyond.

Nature provides a license to paint freely, which allows me to explore momentous thoughts. To express with complete freedom is immensely powerful because it frees the eye, the mind, and the soul. The artifacts of mother earth become mankind�s tools to use constructively or invite devastation. We would be wise to pay attention to her whispers.


SELECTED AWARDS

2006  Bronze Telly Award of Excellence, TV Commercial
2003  Gold Award, Silver Award, Denver Advertising Federation, Denver, CO
2002  Certificate of Merit, Premier Print Awards
          Silver Key Award, Business Marketing Association, Denver, CO
          American Graphic Design Award, Graphic Design: USA
2001  Award of Excellence, The Denver Ad Show, Denver, CO 
2000  Bronze Certificate of Merit, Art Directors Club of Denver


BACKGROUND AND EDUCATION

Daniel Bahn is a painter who creates abstract works drawn from nature. His atmospheric paintings are liberated by the complete freedom that nature allows. He builds and removes layers to render a subtle depth and texture to echo nature�s rich assemblage of colors. Bahn has several paintings in private collections and continues to study under Dale Chisman, known as one of the West's most respected abstract artists.

Prior to focusing on fine art, Bahn Co-founded Black Diamond Concepts, a leading Denver area design and advertising agency. His work has been seen in consumer packaging design, company identity materials and advertising for clients such as The Big 12 Conference, The Mountain West Conference, Classic Sport Companies, Regal Cinemas, Charter Communications, and Pulte Homes. He has won numerous awards in the graphic design and advertising field including a 2006 Bronze Telly Award of Excellence for television commercials. 

Bahn received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Colorado State University (1989). He was born inDenver, Colorado, in 1966.