Daniel Streeter

Daniel Streeter is a 25-year-old abstract painter whose work explores chaotic order and structured systems of control in both the natural and digital worlds. Following a year of experimentation, a visual language is emerging in his work, inspired by both reoccurring and non-existent patterns. Streeter’s works are diagrams of motion and structure, chaos and order, and the ultimate fight for control.

At what point did you decide that you wanted to be an artist?

I was studying art at school, and I was actually supposed to go to University of York to study environmental science. I thought to myself: am I doing what I really want to do, or what others expect me to do? A teacher said something to me that made me change my mind last minute. She said, “There’s a bravery that comes with being an artist.” This really resonated with me back then. I went on to study Fine Art at Nottingham Trent and I’ve been pursuing a career as a full-time artist ever since.

Who or what are some of your artistic influences?

I’ve always been interested in nature, and a lot of my work is ecologically influenced. A big inspiration for me is Hilma Af Klint; she’s a pioneer of abstract art and a revolutionary. Her work focuses on the natural, the spiritual, and their intricate ties. Michael Marder’s ecological philosophy work has shown me different routes to go down when painting the natural environment, and Sky Glabush has really influenced my work compositionally. More recently, Terry Winters has been a really big inspiration to me, particularly in the structure of his work and how his paint moves in relation to his dots and patterns. I also find social media to be such a helpful place for following artists. Seeing what people are interested in and how my work aligns with what others are doing is really interesting.

Would you say that your interests in environmental science have played a big part in the work you’re creating now?

Definitely. My university dissertation was actually about spiritual painting, and explored plants and vegetal systems as a symbol for the spiritual. I even used to experiment with growing different mushrooms, like portobello and shiitake, at university. The process of growing the mushrooms in itself was informative pictorially for my work. The growth patterns, different stages, and overall intelligence in the way they grow underground and communicate is otherworldly. In some ways, it points to ideas of the Other and consciousness in itself. It’s quite a big topic to handle, but I like exploring a deep idea through a simple life pattern. Alongside the environmental science links, I’ve always loved playing with the ideas of unseen things…the kind of stuff that physicists deal with. So, in a way, there's a combination of the two. My paintings feel like diagrams.

What are some of the ideas behind the work you’ll be presenting at the gallery?

I wanted the piece strawberries used to grow in fields to be a work that battles with recognisable structures and motion. I remember intensely looking at a strawberry last summer and being obsessed with the unique arrangement of the seeds - how they completely changed depending on how you held it. I wanted to recreate this in a way that captured the raw spontaneity of the seeds, whilst creating tension by trapping them in a structured system - a bit like modern life. There's also a nod to the strangeness of the world in which we live, exploring advances in technology and where we, as natural beings, fit into it all. I guess we’re all strawberries.

How would you describe your style of art in one sentence?

Abstract diagrams of still lives.

What’s your creative process like?

This past year, I’ve been focused on having fun and being far more experimental with my work, exploring new materials and figuring out what it is that I really want to say. I’ve been creating small test patches of paint with the measurements of different mediums so that I can refer back to them. I’ve started to incorporate sawdust from particular hardwoods, like sapele and wood shavings from soft woods, to add real depth and texture to the paint. I’ve begun to work in a way that gives me a freedom in my brush marks, materials, and ideas, whilst still being controlled and systematic. I’m incredibly excited about the paintings that I have planned. I haven’t quite felt like this for a while. Each painting is a massive learning curve. I learn something new from every piece and I hope it stays this way forever. Although I’m feeling freer in my work, I’ve also become far stricter with myself and how frequently I have to paint in order to get to where I want to be. This is the only pressure I put on myself now: to turn up for myself.

How do you want your career to develop?

When travelling a few years back, I met so many different people who were so content with their lives and livelihoods, no matter what money they earned or humble lifestyle they lived. This is something I’ve wanted to translate into my life at home: not getting caught up on silly things and actually doing what makes me happy. Now, I’ve realised that to have a career as an artist I have to have consistency and dedication. I’m hoping my passion will grow with my work, and hopefully some more patience with that too. I know that I’m going to be painting for the rest of my life. So, if I’m 70 years old before I get my first big show, that’s fine. There’s no rush.

How do you define success as an artist?

Complete and utter freedom.

Daniel’s work will be displayed in the gallery from 28 November to 22 December.