Daniel, when did you first become interested in art? Was there anything that happened in your life that led you in that direction?

 

It was 1966 and I was 13 years old, my older sister’s boyfriend brought over his day-glow paints and painted psychedelic squiggles on my bedroom light cover. I thought that was so cool so I bought a brush and paints and went crazy, painting all over my room (I was a young hippie want-a-be). I was intrigued by the new art on album covers and concert posters and emulated it and others admired it. So that was how I found I could get the admiration and approval I sought (at that young age).

 

As a self-taught artist, how did you begin?

 

Then I took art class all three years of high school and did well. After high school I became committed to spiritual seeking as my highest priority and did not pursue art until 20 years later. I was hearing Joseph Campbell say “Follow your bliss” and reading books like “Do what you love and the money will follow” and asked (a kind of prayer) to be shown how I could get into art (as I figured I had enjoyed art when I was young). Within a week I got a phone call saying the company I worked for was going out of business and I took that as a type of answer to my prayer and went to an art store and told the guy to sell me everything I needed to start painting oils. I mimicked a very elementary style I had seen (one color impressionistic) years before and did a silhouette of a dolphin (the shape based on a T-Shirt I had).

 

It was kinda lame but I took it down to the art store guy and he gave me just enough validation to encourage me to continue. So I just started painting all kinds of dolphin Silhouettes, and became known as the dolphin artist in my community (that was all I painted. All in blue colors.

 

How would you describe your evolution as an artist?

 

Slow. I liked to do other things as well so mostly did not paint very much. When I did, they would always be liked and would sell. In hindsight I feel silly that I did not paint more.

 

Your work is very deep; it touches the soul; how did you develop your style of painting, and how is it related to your spiritual beliefs?

 

I roughly emulated the style of other visionary artists, like Gilbert Williams and such. And over time my inspirational style came through more and more. When a friend gave me a computer I scanned in photos of my paintings and began to manipulate and add deeper dimensions to the style. The inspirational and other dimensional qualities that come through were just what felt cool to me.  Liked exploring other realms of consciousness and seemed to be able to capture some of those qualities.

 

Your work is filled with lots of love and light. Would you say these are the foundations for all the work that you do?

 

Well I have always been a champion of love and light. The Beatles and psychedelia made early impressions. I took LSD when I was 16 and saw that the world as I had seen it was illusion and became intensely interested in eastern philosophy. I read lots of books by Alan Watts and such. Remember, at that time, John Lennon and the Beatles, and many other bands were into those things as well. The message of those times (late 60’s) was “wake up and live a better life of love, peace, equality, fairness, honesty, and the world can be a better place.”  I still believe that. Over the years I have come to understand the nature of humanity and understand why people act unkindly, violently and dishonestly. So I shed the naivety I had in my youth. But the vision and clarity is stronger and clearer than ever.

 

You use a lot of triangles in your work. What does that symbolize to you?

 

Well the circle represents the oneness and the triangle represents the apparent split of point of view of “others” to make a dimension. The simplest geometric shape to depict or create space.

 

How do you begin each piece? Do you have an image in mind or do you just allow it to evolve?

 

Both ways. Much is done with a general idea and as I look at what I have done, more emerges and more ideas come.

 

Who or what, has been the biggest influence in your live as related to your artwork?

 

Early on it was psychedelic exploration of consciousness (quite different from drug escapism). More recent years I would have to say my spiritual teachers (Gangaji, Eli Jaxon-Bear, John deRuiter, Adyashanti, Candice O’Denver, Isaac Shapiro and others)  – they have helped with self-realization (to use an old term) and that shows up in the art as I express what seems to come through. I must also say, Jon Anderson, the lead singer of YES has been a great inspiration and visionary champion of mine.

 

What would you say have been some of your most rewarding or memorable experiences as an artist?

 

Being called by TV Globo (huge TV network in Brazil) to fly down and work on an animated intro to a TV show seen by 50 million viewers 5 days a week for 6 months. Loved the people. the culture and the experience.

 

That's awesome!

 

Many good artists would like to transition into the “professional” arena but never seem to make the leap. How did you do it?

 

Not sure. Like they say, believing in your vision and perseverance have a lot to do with it. I tell young artists to keep creating and their unique style will emerge and enough people will like it to support you. (And if you are lucky you will also get some degree of fame or fortune. But those are not things to go after.)

 

Where do you see yourself going with your work? What are your future goals?

 

Creatively - developing a new style on canvas that is more abstract but retains the inspirational qualities. And work wise – doing presentations (with a projector and sound system) to groups and speaking about what the art is about and ways to live a more sustainable and spiritually awakened life, that contributes positively to the whole (others and the world).

 

Wow, that's inspiring! Good luck Daniel. I look forward to seeing what comes next.

 

To view more of Daniel Holeman's beautiful artwork, please visit his website: http://www.awakenvisions.com.

 

**PUBLICITY AGENCY: VisionsArt (http://visionsart.co.uk )

Penny Frampton,  penny@visionsart.co.uk