Denial with Daniel Bombardier

Local artist Daniel Bombardier breathes life into his art. Although he has moved around a fair bit to places like Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Halifax, Windsor is still home to this talented artist. Daniel, the eldest of five in a loving French-Canadian home, has two brothers and two sisters. He seems to have benefited from his family situation as he says, “Growing up in a large family with little resources gave my siblings and I ample opportunity to develop our creativity and imaginations.”

Family has actually played a rather significant role in helping to shape Daniel’s artistic side. His grandfather, also an artist, introduced him to some of his very first pieces of art. Beyond family influence, Daniel has always simply found himself drawn toward the arts. For example, during a boring day of school, he would find himself drawing. Since those younger days, Daniel has been inspired by pop culture and the media to create new and exciting modern-style art. In fact, art is so much a part of his life that he says that, “ii’s just something I feel I need to do every day to feel normal.” Which is something that surely many artists can relate to.

His art is an expression of his life: everything with which he comes into contact can inspire a new piece. So it is fortunate that the medium is not an issue for Daniel; any surface is a surface that can work for him, as he has painted murals, graffiti and public art, as well as traditional and non-traditional canvasses.

Currently, Daniel is working with laser engraving and etching, multiple-layer stencilling, cut vinyl stencilling, laser printing, screen printing, wood engraving and graphic design. Most of his art is digitally designed, generally made by manipulating images, text, colour and patterns, or analog photography. All of which leave a very distinct characteristic impression that is hard to mistake for someone else’s work. As Daniel explains how he feels about other people’s art, it becomes clear how his art is so very distinct.

“I try not to let anyone else’s style influence me, so I tend to work alone and don’t really view other artists work often. I try to keep my work purely my own,” comments Daniel.

The digital aspect of his art is actually something very interesting. Daniel is a graphic designer and programmer by trade, so his digital knowledge runs very deep and is very well put to use in his art. As well as being an artist, Daniel owns and runs his own printhouse, gallery, and studio at 510 Pelissier Street in Windsor.

When asked which he enjoyed more, painting or printing, Daniel replied: “I love graphic design and printing and stuff but the fact is, it pays for my paint and materials.” He also mentions how he puts much more pressure on himself to constantly improve as an artist than he does for graphic design.

Beyond his own gallery, you can find Daniel’s art in several other galleries, including many in Toronto: Alternative Arts, Art in the Village, PI Fine Art, and Terroni Restaurant; and even in a gallery in Vancouver at Chapel Arts.

Being from Windsor, Daniel carries around with him a certain pride for his town, while being realistic about its small flaws. As much as he would love to simply be able to sell all of his art here in town, the market just isn’t always available to allow such a thing. That does not, however, mean that the town is without art or talent. Daniel is proud of the many talented artists in the area, but only wishes that it was possible to attain a higher level of success here in Windsor rather than having to travel to find a decent market to sell one’s art.

Daniel is very well known for the Denial signs, stickers, labels and more that can be found all over the city as well as in thirty other countries. Denial is Daniel’s project; it is a way for him to creatively ask the public to question their surroundings. Daniel is aware of how much of a role the media plays in our daily lives and with Denial, he feels that it is possible to throw off the balance and look for something a little more real beyond what the media has thrown our way. It also doesn’t hurt to self-promote. You can find details about Daniel’s art, the gallery, the print-house and Denial on his website at: www.denialart.com.
© 2009 WindsorInsider.ca

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