About

An Artist's Life . . .

Daniela Edstrom is primarily a digital fine artist. Her work, composed of photographs dedicated to varying subject matter, usually involves interjections of elements from nature. Life, both in its minutiae and grandeur, from the vein of a leaf to the vastness of a landscape, is perceived as metaphysical, harboring a sacred spiritual and formal make up. Edstrom has shown her paintings, collages, mixed media and other art in solo, juried and group exhibitions within the United States and abroad.

For over a decade now her work has focused on producing photo collage in series; these cover specific themes - from the meaning of beauty to the subconscious symbolism of toys (dolls). Recently, the artist has explored the significance of faith as both a source of political and social power within the 21st century. The majority of her projects originate from a dialogue and questioning of why we perceive certain objects and concepts the way we do; hopefully Edstrom's work can offer challenging solutions or answers.

Daniela Edstrom lived and studied in Italy both at the Academy of Fine Arts of Naples, as well as at the Naples Lyceum of the Arts (High School of the Arts). At the Academy, she received classical training within a studio setting, granting her an invaluable perspective on European culture and art history. Presently, she lives in New Hampshire where she not only earned her degree in art history (University of New Hampshire) , but is expanding her creative space, ever developing new, digital techniques and innovative modes of expression.

Edstrom believes "One must be unafraid to experiment, to push one's comfort zone or artistic boundaries. It is by consistently challenging and refining one's vision, that the artist evolves." An active member of the New Hampshire Art Association, among other societies, Edstrom is presently working on a new series of digital collages dedicated to the patterns imbedded in nature's essential forms (cellular and atomic).

Inspiration and Investigations

INSPIRATION

Often one finds that there is a need to look to

the past for inspiration and visual nourishment.

The history of art is clearly replete with both.

It is enough to observe the graphic solidity of a

Robert Indiana print or the emotional import of

a Mark Rothko painting to feel satisfied with

one's investigational viewing. In the works of

such noted artists there is much to learn

regarding the power of color - the psychological

impact of a field of golden yellow or the

juxtaposition of complimentary, tonal values.

Subtle color combinations can elicit vague

feelings or subconscious memories. In this

regards, poet to painter have delved into the

mystery of color both as a manifestation of

cultural values (i.e. black as a sign of death or

mourning in the West) to universal symbolisms

(i.e. blue as a sign of the heavens or the

infinite). Insights by Goethe (who penned the

Theory of Colours - Die Farbenlehre) to Wassily

Kandinsky (author of On the Spiritual in Art) reveal

the preponderant influence of color . . . a delight

to the eye and soul.

"You must be the change you wish to see in the

world."

Mahatma Gandhi

INVESTIGATIONS

"Only through art can we emerge from

ourselves and know what another person sees."

Marcel Proust

Robert Indiana, lithograph, c. 1996.

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in

seeking new landscapes, but in having new

eyes."

Marcel Proust

"I am still learning."

Michelangelo

WISDOM

"Art is never finished, only abandoned."

Leonardo Da Vinci

Mark Rothko, "Saffron", color field painting. c. 1957.

"A man is but the product of his thoughts;

what he thinks, he becomes."

Mahatma Gandhi

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn

as if you were to live forever."

Mahatma Gandhi

"Where the spirit does not work with the

hand, there is no art."

Leonardo Da Vinci