“As artists, we are attracted to lighting, or something unique about a scene,” says Dan Mondloch. “It’s often something intangible. When we capture that intangible element and it comes through in the painting, it works. When we don’t get in the way of that flow, it doesn’t matter what style or medium — the piece succeeds. I think collectors are savvy and can pick up on that, even when it’s a challenge to put it into words.”
The artist says that what makes a person connect with a painting is unpredictable. “Sometimes it’s because there’s something familiar in the piece, or it reminds them of something. For example, I painted a minimalistic painting of a stand of cattails blowing in the wind. The person who bought it lost her husband recently and this reminded her of where he went duck hunting. People project themselves into the artwork, which is what we want. It completes the circle of the art and makes it worthwhile. There are so many reasons to not paint, but we need to get out there and do it, feel the inspiration and knock it out.”
