The Contemplations of Dan May

Pop-Surrealism has been all the rage these past few decades. Artists like Mark Ryden, Ray Caesar, and Manuel Ocampo have been leading the charge.

In fact, the genre is a major focal point of our magazine.

We feel it is a far more important genre than the art world suspects, as it is often being labeled 'low-brow'. Another artist making serious waves is Dan May.

Dan May is based out of Cincinnati and his works have been making their rounds on various sites and magazines. In 2010, he had his solo exhibition at Gallery 1988 and recently participated in a group show at the Virginia museum of Contemporary Art. Much of May's work plays off of characters that resemble the monsters in 'Where The Wild Things Are' or un-natural landscapes of fantasy.

These characters and scenes are represented in a whimsical and playful fashion, yet always with a beautiful motion and spirituality.

Aesthetically gorgeous, these works by May deserve to be thought of in the highest regards and May himself is seated at the round table with all the modern pop-surrealist greats.

We asked him a few questions about his childhood, the natural world, and who he is inspired by:

When did a full time art career seem possible for you?

Around 2006 I made the transition to working as a full time artist.

What childhood pop-culture would go on to influence your work?

The first movie I ever saw in the theater was E.T.; I would say that movie has stuck with me for life. As a kid I loved Dr.

Seuss, Where the Wild Things Are, & Little Critters books. I was also drawn to movies like The Dark Crystal and The Labyrinth among others.

Is it important for your characters to have subtle facial features?

It definitely is... it's a way of conveying their emotion.

Your characters often seem to be reflective or existential. Do you want us to connect with your characters on an emotional level, rather than an intellectual?

Yes. My art is generally layered with emotion, texture, and detail. A large part of my process involves absorbing what I am experiencing at any one given moment in time. My paintings are a way of reflecting on these moments and sharing them with others.

We all have emotions... it's the common thread that connects us all, no matter how different we may seem.

The creatures in my paintings are not your typical beasts; they are gentle creatures that often come from a place of deep pain and seem to have "experienced" life... there is, however, always a glimmer of hope.

Line use is also common in your work, does this stem back to earlier stylistic influences?

I have great admiration for line work and use it heavily my paintings. I really enjoy the technical aspect of creating the long flowing strands.

There is a certain meditative quality that the line work brings to me...

it's soothing! I've used line in my work many years, and it has grown to represent many things as I evolve as an artist.

It evokes a strong sense of mystery and intrigue and seems to echo the evolutionary changes that occur throughout life (both on a personal level and ecological level).

Does the natural world influence your work directly or do you use it as a compliment to your surrealist expression?

The natural world is very important to my work and has always held a certain sense of mystery and wonder.

While creating my paintings I often think about not only our relationships with one another, but about our relationship with our planet and the creatures that inhibit it.

Does art have an obligation to explain itself to the viewer?

I don't think so. I know others will argue that it should, although I see it differently. We all possess an imagination and we all experience emotions...

when I paint an image I am drawing from my personal experiences and emotions.

If these images connect with others that means I am successfully communicating with the viewer. This relationship is very important to me and it's what allows the work to live on and inspire.

Who is your biggest creative inspiration?

My wife, Kendal.

Do you have plans to ever take some of your work into a sculptural dimension?

No immediate plans, but if time will allow I would love to see where I could take things!