Dani Camargo believes that he was born to be an artist. Boasting larger-than-life, ethereal and abstract forms that tantalize the imagination, one would be hard-pressed to disagree.<\/p>\n
Unique to say the least, the Bankers Hill resident paints with colored pencils and wax pastels, tools often uncommon in the world of fine art. While seeking to convey ideas \u201cfree of form\u201d but full of collaboration, the self-described intellectual creative purposefully uses his art for interpretation and wonder.<\/p>\n He frequently poses the question: \u201cHow does the piece speak to you?\u201d<\/p>\n Reflection spearheads Camargo\u2019s artistic endeavors. He uses a great deal of energy to tap into a mystical zone, a trancelike mindset that serves as the blueprint for creating his version of imperfect art.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile I appreciate details, I don\u2019t want my work to be too perfect, so detailed, that it looks like Photoshop,\u201d Camargo said. \u201cI like simple forms. I combine the element of simplicity with things that are complex. I think it reads well.\u201d<\/p>\n He said his ritual begins on a blank canvas and evolves into an \u201cexercise of listening to the white.\u201d Void of preconceived images or ideas, he explains that his pieces are predestined for him to complete.<\/p>\n \u201cI make elements and colors,\u201d he said. \u201cI never know what will come to life. These pieces already exist in a parallel reality. Every piece becomes itself.\u201d<\/p>\n Driven by the power of love and the shadows present in humankind, Camargo intentionally depicts opposing forces between light and darkness, affording viewers the opportunity to witness the ying and yang of love, power and strength of helping others.<\/p>\n \u201cLove is seen through light and dark shadows,\u201d he added. \u201cBoth are powerful aspects of human nature.\u201d<\/p>\n Working hours upon hours is routine for Camargo because he gets lost in his work. His spiritual mission is a \u201cconstant and reckless search for beauty and truth, like finding a hidden treasure.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy art becomes a bigger-than-life world at the cost of my own personal cathartic exercise,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n While acknowledging that his inspiration is of divine ordinance, Camargo remains both humbled and inspired by other famous artists including Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali; H.R. Giger, a Swiss painter and an Academy Award winner for his design work on the \u201cAliens\u201d franchise; and M.C. Escher, a Dutch graphic artist who made woodcuts, lithographs and mezzotints from mathematical equations.<\/p>\n \u201cThe beauty of their work reflects my inner self,\u201d Camargo said. \u201cMovies like \u2018E.T.,\u2019 \u2018Avatar,\u2019 \u2018The Neverending Story\u2019 and \u2018Labyrinth\u2019 with Bowie and Escher also impact me. I\u2019m inspired by the fascinating amount of life forms concentrated on earth and in galaxies far beyond the human spectrum.\u201d<\/p>\n Camargo grew up in Southern Brazil, an area he describes as diverse and nature-abundant. Surrounded by a family of artists, architects, painters, designers, poets, and writers, his childhood and teenage years were spent \u201cintrinsically involved with art.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI was a hyperactive kid so the only way my mom could make me stop for hours was to draw,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Upset by natural catastrophes caused by human error \u2014 including the likes of oil spills and chemical contaminations \u2014 Camargo remembers creating storyboards as a teenager depicting a planet where all living things would transform within the 24 hours the earth rotated on it axis.<\/p>\n Camargo received Superior Degrees in Industrial Design, Graphic Arts and a bachelor\u2019s degree in architecture from EMBAP, University of Fine Arts, Curitiba, in Brazil. He worked as a designer and an architect until a desire to study English and a passion for surfing landed him in San Diego when he was 26 years old.<\/p>\n Within a year, he moved to San Francisco to serve as an architect for the same Canadian firm he worked for in Brazil. Ten years later, he moved back to San Diego after taking a stroll through Balboa Park while visiting. Today, the architect by day juggles artistry between his family and life, often working into the early hours of the morning creating art.<\/p>\n \u201cArchitecture pays my bills as I work to achieve financial independence as an artist,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Camargo nods at the last decade for producing his most mature work and raising his level of artistry. He notes that one piece, entitled \u201cReflections,\u201d exposes his desire \u2014 and constant struggle \u2014 to emerge as an independent artist.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018Reflections\u2019 reminds me of what I want to be and where I want to go,\u201d he said. \u201cAs the piece progresses, I rise until I get to the top. The top represents the future. I\u2019ve arrived.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to his paintings and clay sculptures, Camargo accepts commission work, such as images imposed on surfboards, snowboards and T-shirts.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople who love my work commission me to paint on something they own,\u201d he said<\/p>\n Future plans include completing larger pieces, working with oils and casting sculptures in bronze. Camargo has been featured in several collective and solo exhibitions throughout Brazil and the U.S.<\/p>\n To learn more about Dani Camargo and his work, follow him on Facebook or visit danicamargoart.com<\/a>.\u00a0Links to his work can be found at\u00a0bit.ly\/2HMltdO<\/a> y\u00a0bit.ly\/2HKXxYd.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Larger](\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/headshot.jpg\")
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