Growing up, Daniel Merriam’s home was full to the brim with creativity. “Our house was full of a variety of musical instruments,” he recalled on his website. “Two pianos played constantly as seven siblings practiced daily. My mother would throw open the windows and sing while playing hymns, serenading the neighborhood. We often sat around the kitchen table and sketched on paper bags until they were covered inside and out with pictures of anything we could imagine. Hours were spent in my father’s woodworking shop, carving toy boats and other fun things to play with.”
With so much going on, it made sense that he grew to become a successful painter. At only 15, he entered the Bridgton Art Show and won first place in the student category. This was also where he was introduced to Alan Magee, who won the grand prize for his painting entitled Stones. “I was amazed by his technique — such great realism, done so simply,” he writes. “Alan spent a great deal of time talking with me and set a standard of excellence not only in his work but in his person. I have never been able to match his skills, but I have instead cultivated merits of my own.”
These days, his paintings tend to focus on the surreal rather than the real. At times, his work reflects the colonial landscapes of his childhood, to which he adds a surreal twist. “There were times when I felt like giving up, but eventually I turned things around by perfecting my artistic talent,” he writes. “If it had not been for my weaknesses, I never would have discovered my strengths. As my body of work grew, so did my place in the art community.”
“Through my art, I have learned the importance of following my heart,” he concludes. Follow his unique works on Facebook:
