Daniel Merriam, “Allegorically Speaking”

Daniel Merriam captures the imagination with a body of work that displays fantastical imagery. Reminiscent of the work of artists such as Maxwell

Parrish, Merriam’s art uses a masterful command of color combined with intricate and complex designs to produce astounding works that seem to pull you directly into a world of dreamy magic.

Originally trained as a mechanical architect, Merriam had his first solo exhibit in 1987 at Abacus Gallery in Maine. Since then, he has gone on to receive honors such as the Broderson Award and illustrate book covers for authors such as Paula Volsky and Neal Barrett, Jr.

Though Merriam’s past work has earned him some well- deserved success, he is taking a slightly different approach to the collection to be displayed at Exclusive Collections Gallery in October. “I’m working on a series of drawings that take a little more political risk than what my recent fans are familiar with,” Merriam explained. “They are less whimsical than most of my work, and have allowed me to explore a more real world without a strict cognitive boundary.”

Pushing boundaries is something Merriam is familiar with, as he breaks away from strict realism in his creative work. “In the 80s, if you dared to paint representational work other than hyper-realism, you were in effect a real rebel.”

It was the progressive work by artist Andrew Wyeth that helped Merriam discover that he could create art in the style of magical realism and still be considered a serious artist. “It was [Wyeth’s] work that inspired me to assert figurative painting as viable in the realm of high art.”

Merriam’s enchanting work is not a collection to be missed. His paintings will be on display at EC Gallery Seaport Village, October 16 – 18. Come experience the magic for yourself!