Artist Statement:
I paint the reality of the American environment: how structures once revered for their
groundbreaking ideas in design and social planning have been perpetuated and how
they have been forgotten.
Primarily focusing on the nation’s mid-century identity, I play with lighting, dramatic
angles, and specific colors to form engaging paintings that capture architectural
elements. I use a realistic style to paint those moments where design and
environment come together harmoniously in order to showcase the compelling
characteristics of these spaces. In some ways, I act as a type of documentarian of
an endangered architectural culture in America. However, these paintings are a bit
more personal, as they tend to focus on locations from my childhood or at least slices
of an era recounted to me from my parents’ and grandparents’ times.
By painting these historically and personally significant scenes, I hope to reconnect
with a presumably by-gone time period whose remnants actually still exist. Because
especially in an age that values constant change, when the past is demolished to
make way for the brand new, we are at risk of losing our collective history. Without
which, we leave ourselves devoid of a foundation to build our future on.
About the Artist:
Danny Heller was born in Northridge, CA in 1982. Growing up in the San Fernando
Valley, the artist was able to carefully study the golden landscape of Los Angeles
which would shape his later body of work. For formal art instruction, Danny left the
Valley for the College of Creative Studies at the University of California, Santa
Barbara. While studying under landscape painter Hank Pitcher, Danny earned a B.A.
in art with an emphasis in painting. After formative years spent capturing Santa
Barbara’s surf landscapes, Danny’s attention turned toward retro iconography
characteristic of mid-century Los Angeles. Having set up his studio in the Coachella
Valley, the artist now concentrates on chronicling Modern American imagery,
specifically focusing on the architecture, design, and car culture found throughout the
nation.
Danny Heller’s paintings have been exhibited in solo and group shows throughout the
world, from Paris to Los Angeles, and most recently in Madrid. His work can be found in numerous private collections and Museum institutions worldwide.
Solo Exhibits
2022 “Wonderland” solo show, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles
“American Midcentury Modern” solo show, La Fiambrera Gallery, Madrid, Spain
2021 “Palm Springs Weekend” solo show, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Decade Mini Retrospective” solo show, George Billis Gallery booth, Modernism Show & Sale, Palm Springs, CA
2019 “Birth of the Cool,” solo show, George Billis Gallery, New York
“Tiki Modern,” solo show, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles
2018 “California Cool” solo show, La Fiambrera Gallery, Madrid, Spain
2017 “Modern Society” solo show, George Billis Gallery, New York, NY
“Modern Leisure” solo show, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2016 “Midcentury Manhattan” solo show, George Billis Gallery, New York, NY
2015 “City Modernism II” solo show, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2014 “Vintage New York City” solo show, George Billis Gallery, New York, NY
2013 “City Modernism” solo show, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2012 “Future Perfect” solo show, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2011 “The LAX Series” solo show, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Modernism Revisited” solo show, Fullerton Museum, Fullerton, CA
2010 “Palm Springs Exhibition” solo show, Terrence Rogers Fine Art, Palm Springs, CA
2008 “Eichlers: A Modern Vision” solo show, Terrence Rogers Fine Art, Santa Monica, CA
2007 “Suburbia” solo show, Terrance Rogers Fine Art, Santa Monica, CA
“L.A. Visions”, Art Rental & Sales Gallery at the LA County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA
Group Exhibits
2023 “Summer Cityscape Group Show,” Billis Williams Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Art Auction XVX and Exhibit,” Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA
“Art Auction 2023,” Laguna Art Museum, Laguna, CA
2022 “Summer Cityscape Group Show,” George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Art Auction 2022,” Laguna Art Museum, Laguna, CA
2021 “Summer Cityscape Group Show,” George Billis Gallery, Westport, CT
“Summer Cityscape Group Show,” George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Art Auction XVIX and Exhibit,” Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA
“Art Auction 2021,” Laguna Art Museum, Laguna, CA
2020 “Cult” Group Show, La Fiambrera Gallery, Madrid, Spain
“Summer Cityscape Group Show,” George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Art Auction 2020,” Laguna Art Museum, Laguna, CA
2019 “New Releases,” WonderGround Gallery, Disneyland, Anaheim,CA
“Summer Cityscape Group Show,” George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Art Auction XVIII and Exhibit,” Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA
“Art Auction 2019,” Laguna Art Museum, Laguna, CA
2018 “Summer Cityscape Group Show,” George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA “Summer Group Show,” George Billis Gallery, New York, NY “Art Auction 2018,” Laguna Art Museum, Laguna, CA
2017 “Punk” Group Show, La Fiambrera Gallery, Madrid, Spain “Summer Cityscape Group Show,” George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA “Summer Group Show,” George Billis Gallery, New York, NY “Art Auction XVII and Exhibit,” Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA “Art Auction 2017”, Laguna Art Museum, Laguna, CA
2016 Summer Cityscape Group Show,” George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Summer Group Show,” George Billis Gallery, New York, NY
“Art Auction 2016”, Laguna Art Museum, Laguna, CA
2015 “Summer Cityscape Group Show,” George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Summer Group Show,” George Billis Gallery, New York, NY
“Art Auction XVI and Exhibit,” Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA
“Art Auction 2015”, Laguna Art Museum, Laguna, CA
2014 Artists Council Exhibition, Palm Springs Art Museum, Palm Springs, CA
“California Dreaming: An International Portrait of Southern California,” Palazzo della Provincia di
Frosinone, Frosinone, Italy; Oceanside Museum of Art, Oceanside, CA; Riverside Art Museum,
Riverside, CA
“The Cityscape Show IV” group show, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, Ca
“Incognito,” Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica, CA
“Art Auction 2014,” Laguna Art Museum, Laguna, CA
2013 “The Cityscape Show III” group show, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Art Auction and Exhibition 15,” Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA
“Palette to Palate,” Laguna Art Museum, Laguna, CA
“Kindred” group show, Bold Hype Gallery, New York, NY
2012 “The Cityscape Exhibition II” group show, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“The New Real” group show, Tinney Contemporary, Nashville, TN
Play Me, I’m Your’s art installation, LA Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles, CA
2011 La Luz de Jesus 25 Part 2 group show, La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“The Cityscape Exhibition” group show, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Perspective: A Group Show,” George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Art Auction and Exhibition 14,” Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA
2010 2010 Metro Neighborhoods, Metro Transit Authority Los Angeles
Foundation Colas 2010 Acquisitions, Foundation Colas, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
“A History of Flight” group show, Terrence Rogers Fine Art, Santa Monica, CA
“As They See It” group show, 941 Geary gallery, San Francisco, CA
Collector’s Circle Acquisitions 1994-2010, Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA
2009 “Los Angeles Currents” Group Show, Couturier Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Art Auction and Exhibition 13,” featured artist, Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA
“Open Call ’09” Group Show, Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Everything But The Kitschen Sync,” La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Size Doesn’t Matter” Group Show, Terrence Rogers Fine Art, Santa Monica, CA
PUBLICATIONS:
2021 American Art Collector Magazine, “History and Industry,” October issue American Art Collector Magazine, “Dream A Little Dream,” May issue Dominic Bradbury. The Secret Life of the Modern House. Ilex. 2021.
Cover art Atomic Ranch Magazine, “Cool Stuff,” Spring issue
2020 CA Modern Magazine, cover art, Summer issue
2019 American Art Collector Magazine, “Hit The Road,” October issue American Art Collector Magazine, “California Dreamin’,” August issue American Art Collector Magazine, “Tiki Modern,” July issue Luxe Magazine, “Modern Take,” May/June issue
2018 Architectural Digest Spain, “Vida De Barrio,” June issue Cosmopolitan Magazine Spain, “Arte,” May issue Yorokobu Magazine Online, “Danny Heller retrata el Mid-century Modern, la cara optimista y yanqui de la Bauhaus europea,” April 24 Arquitectura y Diseño Magazine Online, “El cool californiano en Madrid,” March 27
2017 Car Kulture DeLux Magazine, “Curbside Culture,” Fall issue American Art Collector Magazine, “Architectural Aesthetics,” December issue LA Weekly, “Modern Love,” January 6-12
2016 California Home + Design Magazine, “Portraits of Summer,” Summer issue American Art Collector Magazine, “Midcentury Design,” March issue Society6 Art Quarterly, Winter issue Palm Springs Style Magazine, “Danny Heller’s Palm Springs,” Vol.2 Issue 1
2014
American Art Collector Magazine, “Vintage New York City,” October issue
Coachella Valley Weekly, “Danny Heller – Retro/Modernism Painter,” May 1-7
2013
Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine Online, “California Painter Pictures Mid-Century L.A.,” Oct. 17
CA Home + Design Magazine, “The Art of Suburbia,” Summer issue
Dwell Magazine, “Dwell Scenes,” June issue
The Desert Sun, “Sunnylands Family Day Highlights Estate’s Modernist Design,” Feb. 19
Coachella Valley Arts Scene, “Meet Artist Danny Heller at Hotel Lautner,” Feb. 14
2012
Dwell Magazine Online, “The Architectural Paintings of Danny Heller,” Dec. 6
Juxtapose Magazine Online, “Danny Heller Paints Midcentury Architecture Now,” Nov. 27
The Desert Sun, “Artist: Painting midcentury homes is like opening a time capsule,” Nov. 3
KCET Artbound, “Future Perfect: The Midcentury Modern Paintings of Danny Heller,” Oct. 15
2011
McCallum Theatre Program, cover art, 2011/2012 season
L.A. Daily News Newspaper, “Valley Scenes,” Nov. 19, pg. A4
Atomic Ranch Magazine, “Town & Country,” Winter issue
2010
Southwest Art, “City Scenes,” May issue
CA Modern Magazine, cover art, Spring issue
2009
CA Modern Magazine, “Art Imitates Life,” Fall issue
2008
CA Modern Magazine, cover art, Fall issue
Southwest Art, “Artists To Watch,” October
Atomic Ranch Magazine, “Cool Stuff,” Summer issue
CA Modern Magazine, “Inside Tracts,” Summer issue
2007
New American Paintings #73
