Dani Samson
Los Angeles, California
Contemporary mixed media painter and collage maker, repurposing scraps and found material to create abstractions of everyday life.
Message
Dani Samson is a contemporary mixed media painter based in Los Angeles, California. She creates abstract art using a wide variety of materials, including but not limited to paper, fabric, found objects, scrapped artwork, paint, ink, graphite, charcoal, and wax pastel. Her unique style stems from her interest in living a more present life, exploring how mental activity shapes the way we perceive and experience each moment.
She earned a degree in psychology and studio art from The Ohio State University before pursuing an MFA at the Columbus College of Art & Design. Dani’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including works in Beeler Gallery (Columbus, OH), Centre Pompidou (Paris, France), and Helms Design Center (Los Angeles, CA). In addition to her independent practice as an artist, Dani has dedicated much of her time and energy into serving her community as an arts educator and administrator.
Statement
The moments I revisit in my creative practice are abstracted beyond immediate recognition through the addition and omission of details. With a wide range of materials, I translate my mind’s internal wanderings into expressive use of color, mark, and texture. Flattened space, repetitive marks, layered paper, and unconventional colors obscure the scene, just as intrusive thoughts disrupt our experience of the present. As viewers explore fragmented sections of color, texture, and pattern, they might catch glimpses of everyday imagery, such as a cat tucked under a blanket or a plant resting on a windowsill. Though much of the original image remains hidden in the final piece, captivating details may be found in the material itself, inviting stillness through the simple act of observation, free from the need for objective clarity.