Submitted by Bicycle-Fine-Art on
Danielle Voight: Finding Balance Between Minimalism and Expressionism
Danielle Voight's oil painting, 'Suchness,' was painted in 2014. As a young artist, Voight was hesitant to share her work with others, not allowing even friends or family to view her artwork. This time spent in solitude allowed her to develop her own personal take on minimalism unhindered by the pressures of sales or the unwelcomed input of critics. What emerged from this period was a fully mature style of painting that reflects her time spent alone.
Danielle works primarily during the nighttime. Even when she works with a warm or bright palette, the influence of night manifests itself in the quiet calmness that pervades all of her paintings. The broad swathes of muted color remind one of the desolate emptiness of evening, with contained bursts of color and texture seeking to express, as Danielle describes, “…a sigh, a release, a realization of ‘you’re ok’…”
Over the years, Danielle has learned to allow her paintings to take on a life of their own while she is in the process of creating them. This process enables her work to evolve organically, aided by her brushes and palette knives as she reacts fluidly to the unique direction taken by each individual piece. By doing so, she invites the viewer to discover the beautiful subtleties in her artwork in the same way she uncovered those same aspects while painting.
Danielle’s brushstrokes, sometimes cool and intangible, other times frenzied and immediate, act as a physical manifestation of her inner self. By making her unspoken emotions visible, she renders herself intensely vulnerable to the viewer in a way that is both disarming and intriguing. This process is capable of forging an intense connection between her paintings and its viewer, rendering her artwork deeply personal.
Danielle believes that titles play an important role in the viewer’s interaction with her work. The title, 'Suchness,' refers to the Buddhist concept of the mind resting simply in its own state of being. Suchness is a state of simplicity and contentment, best revealed in the seemingly meaningless like the scent of the forest or the sound of the ocean. In her own words, Danielle has said that “This painting entirely represents that moment. That moment of suchness. I have learned you can access it whenever you need to.”
To view this work at the New York Design Center or to learn more about the artist, contact: info@bicyclefineart.com
