Dan Graziano

by Sarah Judson September 30, 2013

Dan Graziano recently moved from the west coast to historic (400 years!) Castine, Maine, where he and his wife purchased a shop and gallery. Whether urban, coastal or rural, his paintings often focus on things that have aged well, such as buildings, cars, boats, or landscapes. His dramatic value contrasts remind us of Edward Hopper. Ken Auster, Randall Sexton and Tim Horn are the modern masters he has studied with.

Shown here are Dice Head Morning (above, 6"x6") and Signal Flags (right, 6"x8"). Below is a 9"x12" painting entitled Charlie's Grocery and Shem Creek (8"x10"). “I paint the places and environments I find interesting in my everyday life. I look for unique compositions which involve dramatic contrasts of light, shadow and perspective. I continue to be intrigued by the urban landscapes of inner cities - their active streets, time worn buildings and multiple layers of decay, renewal and adaptation - that proudly display the effects of age and use, which I see as testaments to strength, character and authenticity in contrast with modern society’s demand for newness, imitation, disposability and easy duplication. I am also drawn to the unique natural beauty of New England, encompassing its historic towns, picturesque harbors and enduring maritime legacy. My work is influenced by the American realists such as Eakins, Sargent, Hopper and the three generations of Wyeths”.

Later this week (October 3-5), he will be one of the participants in the Olana Plein Air Festival, at Frederic Church's home and grounds in New York's Hudson Valley.
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