Daniel Zeller

(Born 1965 in San Rafael, CA; Lives and works in Brooklyn, NY)

In looking back at early work, I was searching. I was thinking sculpturally. I was thinking of form and building things on a two dimensional surface that represented three dimension. I was thinking very classically. I started drawing by loosely sketching and a form would start to appear and I would flush it out and see where it would take me. One drawing would lead to another.

I like to think my drawings put you in a place where you’re not quite sure where you are. They’re familiar but not at the same time. You’re sort of at a loss.

I think of it often as play the whole way through a drawing. It’s almost like a puzzle that needs to be solved in making it. I might have an idea where I want to go at the beginning but once it starts to take shape, now I’m reacting to what’s happening on the page.

I like to think the drawing’s a series of mistakes that I’m building on.

–Conversation on May 19, 2020

Listen to our conversation here: