Dan Vigil is a contemporary Taos artist and master printer who creates works of art, that can be referred to as abstract impressionism. His paintings and monotypes are works of finite emotional beauty. Vigil’s current works bring to us creations of spiritual meaning that is both personal and universal. Dan is a second-generation artist, his father was the internationally recognized artist Veloy Vigil. 

 

"When I start to work, I have prepared myself mentally. This is usually the result of long walks, a lot of time to think. My mind explores where I am now, where I was before, ending a series of works. The start of a new series of artwork is like falling in love all over again.

My subconscious is the source for all my imagery. When I am ready to paint, I lay out several pieces (canvas, panel, or paper) and construct the surface with random color. I begin with wide, bold brushstrokes and work quickly without hesitation. As the surface develops, I can see certain images evolve and where to place them. It is time to let them dry and change obvious mistakes. The following day I take time to study the piece and begin to draw the figure. I use a method of under painting and successive layers of glazing, in this process lie the compromises, what to change or not to change.

Much of my activity is directed toward imaginative painting, it is experimental with a conscious search for ideal splendor in the artwork of the past. In my work, there is always a return to certain feelings I have had and I find a way to express them. When I paint, it is in response to things I remember from before that I have a particular love for.

I like to create a world where the subject of my work is timeless. I am looking for the soul of the art, just as music does for sound. My personal artistic identity suggests a symbolic representation of light and a mood of mysticism. The Flowers, dogs, horses, hearts and the human figure are cornerstones for me and evoke symbolism in every body of my art."