Animazing Gallery Presents Architectural Surrealism in SoHo 4/17-5/15

Widely regarded as one of the world's best watercolorists, Daniel Merriam has captured the hearts and curiosities of collectors worldwide. New works will be on exhibit and for sale at Animazing Gallery in SoHo from April 17-May 15th, 2011. A champagne reception for the artist will take place on the evening of April 16th from 6-8PM. The exhibition & sale is free and open to the public; RSVP requested for opening reception to rsvp@animazing.com. For more information call 212-226-7374. The gallery is located at 54 Greene Street, on the SE corner of Broome & Greene (map & directions).

The collection of new paintings to be debuted will yet again redefine the former 'architectural illustrator.' A leader in the movement known as Magical Realism, Merriam's work has continued to evolve and surprise the viewer, who is inevitably drawn in to explore the realm of his fantastic imagination. This body of work focuses on the exquisite Gothic & Victorian elements that have inspired the artist to see the buildings as organic structures, and to bring forth other-worldly creatures from these elements that resonate with a primal archetypal.

The architectural paintings of Daniel Merriam are completely unique and executed with technical mastery. They are dreams in full color, which invite the viewer on a journey into the imagination, where the worlds of reality and fantasy collide in an explosion of color, shapes and symbolism. Daniel Merriam is a contemporary master whose published works and books are important contributions to numerous private & museum collections. In 2007 his paintings were included in the European exhibition Venus and the Female Intuition, which toured Denmark, the Netherlands and France. In 2008 his works were hung next to those of Salvador Dali in Sedona, AZ.

He first turned his talents professionally to the commercial art field working as an architectural and commercial illustrator for a number of multi-national corporations. Merriam's illustrations received numerous awards including several Broderson awards, a New England Scholastics Press Association award, and the University of New England Honorary Masters of Humane Letters in recognition for the potential social contribution of his work.

Commenting on his boundless imagination, Merriam says, "I am a daydreamer; I take everything I see and let my imagination run away with it. Having practiced this ability for years, I have been able to develop a very lucid imagination. It was only natural that I would choose the medium of painting to interact with these fantastic visions. I dream of things that are remotely possible, keeping them within reach. My creations are first composed in my head; I've got symphonies between my ears, accompanied by a three-ring circus. I swing from chandeliers and walk on the ceilings. My art is primarily a result of this behavior."

Born in 1963 in a rural town in Maine, Merriam is one of seven creative and artistic children. He taught himself to paint at a very young age, and used his art as a method of reflective play throughout his childhood. Merriam studied mechanical and architectural design at Central Maine Vocational technical Institute.

Merriam's true passion has always been painting the expression of his own inner vision. In 1986, Merriam shifted his focus solely to fine art and later that year had his first solo exhibition in Maine. Since then, his exhibitions throughout the United States and Europe have been lauded and achieved critical acclaim.

In 1998, Monarch Editions, Inc. published The Art of Daniel Merriam: The Impetus of Dreams, selections from a decade of the artist's work. The book's second edition was published in 2002. Merriam's second catalogue raisonné, The Eye of a Dreamer was released in October 2007. Both catalogues raisonnés were inducted into the permanent archives of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and are included in the permanent libraries of the National Museum of American Illustration, The Society of Illustrator s and Peninsular Museum of Art. The newest catalogue raisonné, Taking Reality by Surprise, has already been included in the collection of the Parrish House Museum. It is a 276 page large hardcover book, and is selling briskly around the world.