First of all, thanks to all of you who went to the “Untitled” art show reception last weekend! I also want to say thank you again to the ones who congratulated me for getting an honor award for the “3:10 AM” drawing and asked some questions about my “Walking Outside” painting. I really appreciate the gesture since I don’t always have full opportunities to voice my expression in person as I can with sign language and art… 

Fortunately for me, I have a website here I can use to connect better with you! I always love explaining more about artworks and my art journey(when I can…). In fact, one of the marketing goals I came up with for myself recently is to write up an at least 150 or 250 word-long blog post twice a week. I’m sharing this goal with you all because writing content is a big step for me -- when I have to do inventory of my art pieces, commissions, art supplies as well as keeping up with my agent, social media, and online stores. This is in addition to my day-to-day of personal improvement in art, life, and relationships. I don't need to bore you with the full details because you know what it's like to adult!

Where is Daniel, anyway?

The point is, you get what sorts of distractions and errands could easily get me off task or forget about posting. I don't want to assume but I am pretty sure that has happened to anyone who runs a freelance business and still figuring out the right balance to their work and lifes. Some artists I know actually thrived even more after they understood how to connect with their audiences which is why that's one of the aspects in my art career I really want to improve on. I also understand that there are some days when you and I could get swept away by other important commitments or unexpected circumstances.

Why don't you sign up for my email list at the bottom of this blog page!? That way, you can get a heads-up on the next blog post- behind the scenes of my two pieces ``3:10 AM” and “Walking Outside '' sometime this week. Regardless, have a great week!

Hello everyone!

I’m excited to share the news that my two artworks got accepted into Capitol Hill Art League’s highly competitive juried art show, “Untitled.” I’m curious about what my pieces look like along with other artists’ high-quality works hanging at the gallery inside the CHAW building…

Two close up shots of Daniel Katz-Hernandez’s selected artworks for CHAL’s “Untitled” Exhibition.

Furthermore, I think my two selected pieces are… impactful when put together. Let’s think about the comparisons of both as I describe them. What could Jury see in them, too?

“3:10 AM,” (2021) Charcoals on 12” x 9” inches colored paper  

The edge of the paper shows a fading, sunset-like orange. The center of a dense charcoal drawing depicts a 15 minutes long study of a figure model. She sits upright and almost motionless, being rendered with the rough lines and body of smokey chalks. If you look at her deceptive eyes, you might see her depth as if she is in some kind of limbo between waking and sleeping. That artwork might draw you into some familiar state that can only be experienced in the middle of the night. 

“Walking Outside,” (2021) acrylic painting on 30” x 40” inches stretched canvas 

The family is walking down the trail into the wilderness from a worn-out stair linked to more civilized roads. Between the figures, there is a decaying, broken wooden fence which suggests that while artificial boundaries can be created, they are not permanent. All of the family members seem oblivious to the man-made structures in the background as they focus on connecting to the surroundings of nature and to each other. 

Juror, Will Fleishell, will discuss his selections and present awards at the reception. 

If you’re interested, the reception event is this Saturday, April 9th, and will start from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm. The building is at the corner of 7th and G Streets SE, two blocks south of the Eastern Market Metro stop (545 7th Street SE, Washington, DC). Their colorful columns won’t be missed easily… ;-)

An outside view of CHAW Building. It have painted columns front of the entrance doors.

The Capitol Hill Art League (CHAL) will open its new show, “Untitled” with a reception, on Saturday, April 9th from 5:30-7:30 pm at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW) at 545 7th Street, SE, Washington, DC. 20003. This is the Art League’s annual Open Call show-- which seeks entries from artists throughout the Washington Metropolitan Area.

Juror, Will Fleishell, will discuss his selections and present awards at the reception. Mr. Fleishell has had a distinguished career as an engraver with the U.S. Department of Treasury. He carries over his skills to the prints he creates in his Capitol Hill studio with a 150-year-old printing press. His creations include bookplates for Smithsonian exhibits. He also teaches figurative life drawing at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, and paints portraits and landscapes.

In addition to viewing the art in person at the Arts Workshop, the works can also be viewed online after April 9th on the Capitol Hill Art League website https://www.caphillartleague.org/

#chawindc #chalartists #artexhibition #dcartscene #acreativedc #dmvartists #fineart #artcollector #artforsale #dcart

As the first blog post on this site, let's talk about my first sketchbook!  Or more truthfully, the first serious sketchbook that challenged me as an artist.

How did it start? I think it was back in Christmas of 2006 when I received The Sketchbook as a gift from some artist friends of my parents. I was a lot younger back then! The paper quality in the sketchbook had more texture which worked great with dry mediums and the size was small enough to be held single-handed. As a young artist, I was grateful but I wasn’t ready to fill it yet for some reason. However, the gift finally came into use about a decade later in 2015. That is when it all really started.

Front view of Daniel Katz-Hernandez's first sketchbook. Stickers and duct tape are used to repair the worn-out edge part of the sketchbook.

2015. That was the year after I graduated from Gallaudet University and landed a full-time job as a videographer. I picked up the sketchbook after I stopped by at my parents’ home when I realized that I could keep myself busy while riding Metro’s red line without wifi. Remember, I was a lot younger! Drawing various commuters daily reawakened my inner drive to be a better artist…

Early Pages from The Sketchbook

Early Pages from The Sketchbook,

Early Pages from The Sketchbook,

Early Pages from The Sketchbook,

Early Pages from The Sketchbook,

Early Pages from The Sketchbook,

Early Pages from The Sketchbook,

Early Pages from The Sketchbook,

Early Pages from The Sketchbook,

A sketchable commuter in front of me, a blank page, a pencil in my left hand, and buzzing notifications from my Instagram account--all gave me my dopamine fix for the mornings and evenings of my workdays. The more things I drew, the more vivid my memories got as I looked back through my sketchbook. I still can even recall some unique encounters from some of the pages. An Instagram follower (@dcsofaimeous) once commented on a sketch:

“I love these daily sketches, it tells a story.” 

Latest Pages from The Sketchbook,

Latest Pages from The Sketchbook,

Latest Pages from The Sketchbook,

Latest Pages from The Sketchbook,

Latest Pages from The Sketchbook,

Latest Pages from The Sketchbook,

Latest Pages from The Sketchbook,

Latest Pages from The Sketchbook,

Latest Pages from The Sketchbook,

That was a single and simple comment, yet it was the most straightforward premise of how I enjoyed documenting my first sketchbook from the first page all the way down to the last page… It was a very enriching opportunity to be able to study and draw a diverse group of various strangers’ arbitrary sitting or standing posture in public transportation(which is unbelievably difficult during our current Covid pandemic era)! This sketchbook has become a sentimental thing I hold on to, and each page reminds me that it’s possible to make time for daily art practices during the workday’s routine.

I hope my first sketchbook’s origin story speaks to you enough to arouse you into revisiting your daily hobbies. I believe you can make time for thirty minutes in your everyday life, I truly believe that.