Danny Joe Rose III
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Website
dannyrosestudio.com
Social Media
Instagram
How would you describe your work?
I’ve been exploring ideas of landscape and abstraction for over a decade now. My work has ebbed and flowed over the years, but this primary concern has remained constant. I would describe my current work as a collection of geometric systems and structures that meditate on a personal sense of the landscape, reorganizing space and plane into distinct internal topographies. In essence, everything starts with the landscape. Whether that is pulled from reality or memory, or constructed and distilled through process and intuition, ideas of the natural world run as a continuous thread throughout my practice. I deeply enjoy playing with color, shape, and pattern, arranging these elements into abstract configurations that feel both structured and filled with a quiet harmony.
What inspires you?
I am primarily inspired by nature, form, color, and the clarity that comes from solitude. I enjoy spending time outdoors looking for shapes, horizons, and color relationships to bring back to the studio, seeking natural forms as a gateway into abstract composition. Being outdoors is an endless source of inspiration; in nature, I can access a vast library of forms, colors, textures, and energies that continually call me back.
Equally integral to my practice is meditation. It grounds my creative process, beginning with a morning practice that transitions into a form of waking meditation once I arrive at the studio. Sitting and looking deeply at the work in progress allows thoughts and formal possibilities to enter the space. This mindfulness carries into the physical act of painting, requiring a continuous balance between intentional focus and surrendering to where the work wants to go.
Can you speak about your process?
Almost every painting begins with a single shape. That initial form dictates the next, and over time, connections emerge between elements before I consider how color can shift or advance the composition. Alongside this, I am an avid sketcher, carrying a notebook everywhere to jot down quick ideas that may lead to a new piece or become studies in a painting sketchbook.
As paintings materialize, I spend extended periods engaging in "slow looking." This gestation period is vital; it allows the work to converge and offers a dedicated window for reflection. My sculptural work evolves through a similar methodology. I work with shapes cut in the woodshop, stacking and shifting the physical blocks until an interesting structural dialogue is achieved. Recently, returning to papier-mâché has opened up new avenues for exploring three-dimensional form, marking a significant return to sculpture after many years away from the medium.
How did you become interested in art?
I have been making art for as long as I can remember. When I was five, my parents bought me a children's art desk, and I quickly fell in love with drawing, often preferring the worlds I created on paper to socializing. My parents were supportive of my interest in art, and by high school, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the arts. I eventually earned a BFA in Graphic Design, a discipline that instilled a deep respect for formal principles and design thinking. Throughout more than a decade of professional design work, I maintained a dedicated painting and drawing practice, letting the two fields inform each other. Recently, I returned to school to pursue an MFA in Studio Art at New Mexico State University, a step that has enabled me to push my studio practice and creative research into new realms.
Do you have any favorite artists, movies, books, or quotes?
I am drawn to the work of Milton Avery, Agnes Pelton, Forrest Bess, Paul Klee, Grace Crowley, Hilma af Klint, and Sophie Taeuber-Arp, among others. Looking at the lineage of abstraction through these specific lenses is a constant source of inspiration. I find the ongoing conversation among artists across different eras, past and present, and between movements endlessly fascinating.
Any more thoughts about art, creativity, or anything else you would like to share?
I have been thinking a great deal about the concept of the studio lately, and how important a dedicated space is for a creative practice. A studio can be a formal space, a bedroom, a kitchen, or an alternative environment. The physical location matters less than the fact that a dedicated space provides structure and routine to a creative pursuit. It is fascinating how the spaces we occupy reveal everything about our processes, inspirations, and routines. For me, the studio functions as a sanctuary for constructing alternate realities and engaging with the work without external distractions, allowing me to discover new possibilities. I also consider my time spent hiking and painting outdoors as a natural extension of that studio space.
