"First Day of School" Painting

For almost three decades Danny Day, while being one of the most prolific and versatile American artists, has established a reputation worldwide for the high quality of his original works of art. Danny has made it a lifelong quest to master and refine his version of realism, perfecting the “master’s technique” of oils on canvas. Rich color and eye popping clarity are the hallmarks embodied in his works, which range in genre from sports to wildlife, auto racing, and lush romantic portraits. Danny resides in California, where he lives with his wife of 27 years and two daughters. Born in the small town of Marion, Ohio, Danny strived to excel in all aspects of his early life. He was a standout defensive back on the football gridiron and won the state indoor pole vaulting championship. He graduated from High school with a 4.0 grade point average, was named valedictorian and received the highest scholarship offered by the Columbus College of Art and Design. After graduating from CCAD magna cum laude in 1986, Danny relocated to California, where he struggled for a number of years to scrape together a living as an illustrator. However, his passion for painting realistically and in oils, prevailed, and Danny veered his career back toward Fine Art, as he always envisioned himself first and foremost as a fine artist. Beginning with a few small galleries in San Diego, Danny’s art has gained worldwide recognition and a committed following in the last twenty-five years. He has worked with some of the most famous athletes of all time, has numerous collectors, and his work has been shown in galleries both nationally and internationally. Danny prides himself on having the ability to painting anything and has developed a large and diverse portfolio of artwork that spans a number of different genres. “Sports Celebrity” For the majority of his career, Danny has been best known for his collaboration with the some of the most famous and successful sports celebrities of our time. Some of the more notable superstars to be portrayed on Danny’s canvases include Muhammad Ali, basketball greats Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal, golfers Jack Nicklaus and Fred Couples, Hall of Famers Joe Montana, John Elway and Dan Marino, baseball legends Mickey Mantle, Joe Dimaggio, Ted Williams, Tony Gwynn, and Derek Jeter, and auto racing legends Carroll Shelby, Dan Gurney, Juan Pablo Montoya and Phil Hill among many others.