Light and reality spring from water and paint in Daniel J. Slattery’s watercolor paintings, now on display during February, 2022, at the Heartland Artists Gallery in Plymouth, Indiana. “Using careful control to depict details of light and shadow, I try to create scenes that appear so real the viewer feels it would be possible to step into the painting,” states the artist. Intricately balancing shadow and light, he carefully observes the way light casts expressive shadows on his subjects or captures the bright or subtle glow surrounding a person, field, animal, or object.
Catching the magical light and essential shadows, he either bathes or glances them on his study, and this complex magic defines Slattery’s paintings. With ultimate control, the details in his paintings are those that might cause a viewer to exclaim, ‘It looks like a photograph!” A thorough purveyor of all that deserves notice, in 2018, he was commissioned by President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalyn to commemorate their work with Habitat for Humanity.
A seasoned teacher, he has taught and given demonstrations at many fine art establishments in the area, including: The South Bend Museum of Art, Moon Tree Studios in Donaldson, Indiana, and the St. Joe Valley Watercolor Society, to name a few. As well, Slattery has held administrative positions on several boards of directors in his quest to promote the arts.
Since 2013, he has worked out of The HEARTH Studio, in the lower level of the Colfax Cultural Center, at 914 Lincoln Way West, South Bend, Indiana. Calling before visiting is recommended, to be sure he is in the studio. However, in Plymouth, you can step into his compelling, watercolor paintings throughout February, right here in your neighborhood.
The Heartland Artists Gallery’s mission is to support area artists and to bring and to teach the arts to our community. Our not-for-profit gallery gives area artists a venue to show and sell their artwork. Activities are made possible, in part, by the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County and The Indiana Arts Commission, which receives support from the State of Indiana and The National Endowment for the Arts. Visit www.heartlandgallery.com and find us on Facebook and Instagram. For more information, contact the gallery at 574-936-9515, which is located at 101 N. Michigan Street in downtown Plymouth.
By Jan Peyser
