Modern cliff house with terraces and panoramic glazing

On Daniel Wagner

I was born in a small town in northeastern Wisconsin. I remember always being drawn to the arts. I got my degree in architecture. I worked as an architect for 25 years, many of which I devoted to multi-story commercial projects, embodying many of the significant architectural wonders that grace the skyline of London, Shanghai, Barcelona, and Chicago.
I consider myself a self-taught artist. My first love was an abstraction, and at first, I focused on it. My first works were architectural. I moved away from that when I realized the limitations and constraints of architectural form. I discovered that the human condition is a hierarchy of structures, but I believe that painting begins with a gesture, re-deriving some symmetry and nuance from my initial training.
I like to start painting with a field of human gestures, then I go back and use more pronounced forms in the human condition. Hence the fine line between abstraction and realism. The shapes and forms I emphasize begin to add pattern and direction to the painting. This is where conception takes over, and the original gestures of the human form take on a new language.

Education

I received my bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Minnesota.