Note Type
Antony Hayton, Exhibit DirectorNote
Willie Daniels (1950-2021)
Firesky
Oil on Upson Board circa the late 1960s
Image size 18" X 24"
In 1960, Willie Daniels moved from Georgia to Fort Pierce, just three doors from Mary Ann Carroll. She introduced him to Harold Newton and Roy McLendon. Like many in the group, Willie learned to paint by observing the other artists; no one formally taught him how, but he was an eager student. Mentorship was commonplace in the group. Daniels developed a close friendship with Livingston Roberts and Al Black. He and Roberts often completed ten to twelve paintings each evening and then gave them to Al Black to sell. During the 1980s and '90s, interest in the group declined, and Willie began working as a truck driver in Georgia, painting only occasionally. However, interest in the artists revived in the late '90s, prompting him to move back to Fort Pierce to paint full-time. His craftsmanship was consistently exceptional. Harold Newton was his greatest influence, as Daniels noted that everyone aspired to be like him and create masterpieces "off the top of his head."
In a crescendo of nature's majestic opulence, Daniels transports us to a remote spoil island, where days and nights seem to unfold, observed only by flora and fauna over time immemorial. Through his lens, we experience the end of the day, with palms rising from the wetlands, silhouetted against a blazing sky. The dark landscape enhances the brilliance and magnificence of this secluded bayou scene. True to his admiration for his mentor Harold Newton and the beauty of nature, Willie Daniels creates a sublime secluded sanctuary.