Introduction: A Bit About Daniel Chow, his Art and His Online Presence

a pair of geese flew by
outside my studio window
i’m glad elephants don’t fly

Photo by Denver Moskel

I am a poet, a writer, an obsessive and compulsive proofreader and editor of my own work, a photographer, a culinary experimenter, a storyteller, and a painter. They are an important part of my creative process as an artist.  Inspiration and beauty are not always found in faraway places, and many are just outside our doorsteps. When I step outside to paint, I will have walked only a few blocks from my studio. I will soon setup to paint, and the land will gradually show itself.

My paintings are usually completed in one session, alla prima, because I enjoy the spontaneity in my paintings. Also, many of my paintings are of places that are not far from my studio, and are easily overlooked, but I feel that if I spend a bit of time listening, the place will have something to share with me.

I have a blog that I call Studio Notes at www.danielwkchow.com. I use this blog as an online personal notebook, and I have purposely made this an open book for those who enjoy reading blogs. In Studio Notes, now and then I will share my new paintings, my creative process, or occasionally other artists' works and their thoughts. 

On my personal Facebook, it is less focused. If you want to be on my Facebook “friends” list, you will find some silliness, and some deep and thoughtful discussions between my friends and I, but I try to keep my public posts focused on the arts—mine and other artists. If you feel my private postings are not in sync with your personality, do not feel badly if you “unfriend” me. It is only Facebook, try not to take it too seriously. I also have an artist page on Facebook which is more focused. Head on over to https://www.facebook.com/theartworkofdanchow and give it a “Like”.

On Twitter, my “tweets” usually point to new posts in Studio Notes, otherwise, like my personal Facebook, it is a mix bag. One more thing, I always find Twitter a fun challenge because I often wonder how I could effectively convey thoughts with the least abbreviations and using no more than 140 characters.

Thank you for following me online, and I hope to someday meet you in person through kindness.

universal truth 101, believing not required: cast your kindness into the waters and it will come back pressed down, and overflowing.

About My Art

a pair of geese flew by

outside my studio window

i’m glad elephants don’t fly

It has taken me over 15 years to evolve into the artist that I’m today, and evolution never idles. I used to believe that I don’t have enough inspiration around me to inform my work.

N. C. Wyeth said, “I don't believe any man who ever painted a great big picture did so by wandering from one place to another searching for interesting material. By the gods! there’s almost an inexhaustible supply of subjects right around my back door.” 

In hindsight, the many other artists I've met in my journey, my black-and-white photography, and my painting trips in Italy and California have helped me evolve, and inform my works. I’ve listened and took mental notes, because every experience is like a jewel. They’re important stepping stones in my evolutionary progress as an artist.

Inspiration and beauty are not always found in faraway places, and many are just outside our doorsteps. Sometimes, what’s just outside our doorsteps are some of the people we've met, the seemingly ordinary things we took for granted—like my photography, and my quest to make the perfect black-and-white or colour print. 

When I step outside to paint, I will have walked only a few blocks from my studio, and I will soon setup to paint. When I spend a bit of time listening, the place will have something to share with me. Many of my paintings are usually completed in one session, alla prima, because I enjoy the spontaneity in my paintings, but I’ve spent the proverbial lifetime listening.