aniel Maltzmann was born in California and traveled extensively throughout his childhood. Always intrigued by art, he enrolled in his first class as a young child. He studied at the San Diego State University and graduated from the Chapman College in 1985.

Maltzmann's expressionistic work is rapidly gaining recognition and can be seen in the private and public collections throughout the United States, including the collections of Lia Iacocca, The Yankee Stadium Executive Offices in New York City and the collection of the NBA player Jermaine O'Neal.

Art Interview: How old are you?

Daniel Maltzman: I'm 42 years old.

Art Interview: How long have you been a professional artist?

Art Interview: Do you consider yourself an emerging artist or a mid-career artist? How do you see your place within the art world?

Daniel Maltzman: I think an artist is never fully realized so I'll always consider myself emerging or evolving. As far as my career goes, I can see that I have reached a higher place where I've started to garner more attention. In that sense, perhaps you'd consider me a post-emerging but not quite mid-career artist. I still feel there is a lot of change that you'll see in my work as I mature.

Daniel Maltzman Yellow Sillouettes Mixed Media on Canvas

Art Interview: What are the average prices for your paintings?

Daniel Maltzman: My prices range anywhere between $1,000 to 15,000 based on the size and complexity of the painting.

Art Interview: Your studio is in L.A.?

Daniel Maltzman: Yes. I have 2000 sq. ft. of working space. I also just turned my home into a showplace for my paintings. I increased a bit of wall space and created a better environment with the right light so when collectors come to view my art they capture the true essence of the paintings. I've worked really hard to try to put it together.

Art Interview: Are you originally from L.A.?

Daniel Maltzman: I'm originally from 90210. (Laugh) Yes, I went to Beverly Hills High School.

Art Interview: What was it like for you growing up?

Daniel Maltzman: I am the quintessential California kid. I grew up surfing, skateboarding and playing competitive tennis. I did anything I could outdoors!

Daniel Maltzman exhibition

Art Interview: So it took you several years after graduating before you started in art?

Daniel Maltzman: Yeah, I think that's kind of how life works. I had to grow up, travel a bit, and figure out who I was. My art continues to be impacted by my life's experiences,

Art Interview: What did your father do for living?

Daniel Maltzman: My father was in the real estate business for most of his life. He and my mom are now living in Palm Springs, CA.

Art Interview: Your mother, what did she do?

Daniel Maltzman: My mother had the hardest job of all, she had to raise three boys. I am the middle of the three.

Art Interview: Has your family supported you in your choice to become an artist?

Daniel Maltzman Father and Daughter Acrylic on Canvas 72" x 60"

Art Interview: How did you initially start? Was it a slow process of transformation into an artist?

Daniel Maltzman: You know what, ever since I was a kid I was always drawing. I love sketching. I'll be in a restaurant and sit down and start drawing on the table. I just love the whole feeling of creating.

Prior to working professionally as an artist I was in the clothing industry. I designed my own line of custom vests using different fabrics. Through this process, I realized many of the styles were the same. I wanted something different, more unique so I began painting my own images onto the vests. It didn't take long before I started painting these images onto canvas.

Art Interview: When did you begin approaching galleries?

Daniel Maltzman: That's the funny thing. I was always pounding on every door that I could when I first started and most people told me that my work was not "gallery-ready"... I never really understood what that meant. But now, galleries are approaching me and I have developed some wonderful relationships…I guess I became "gallery-ready"!

Art Interview: You came out of a relatively affluent family and had a successful business career before you began working as an artist. Do you think that background had any influence on your art career?

Daniel Maltzman: My family definitely influenced my career as they provided incredible support and motivation to follow my passion for art.

Daniel Maltzman Future Flyer Acrylic on Canvas 48" x 36"

Daniel Maltzman: To create a recognizable style is a difficult endeavor but an imperative for an artist. It took a long time and many paintings, but I realized a distinct art style had emerged which has now become my signature style. Now, people will tell me they recognize my work when they see it regardless of the content. That was an amazing milestone.

Art Interview: Initially you had problems because the galleries wanted you to work in one style. Have the galleries recognized that you have solidified your style? Did finding your own mark improve your business?

Daniel Maltzman: Yes, defining my style definitely helped me become "gallery-ready!" (Laugh). The galleries I deal with have been really good to me. I work with great people and have wonderful relationships. I keep in constant contact with them to be sure they have exactly what they need. Many of my successes can be attributed to the representation I have in galleries across the country.

Art Interview: Did you imagine at the age of eighteen that you would become an artist?

Daniel Maltzman: I had no idea. (Laugh) I thought I was going to be a real estate tycoon.

Art Interview: You told me that there were times when you didn't have enough money to make ends meet and had to sell the things in your apartment, in spite of your family's wealth. Did you have to support your art by working part-time or full-time jobs? Or did you just stop working and decide to be an artist?

Daniel Maltzman: I definitely struggled to make ends meet in the early stages of my career. As an artist you are never guaranteed a consistent income. I had to learn how to become a great saver!

Daniel Maltzman Portrait of Jermaine O'Neal Mixed Media on Canvas

Daniel Maltzman: That's true but like anything else you have to have a quality product that people want. It doesn't matter how much money someone has, if they don't want what you've got - it's not going out the door! (Laugh) Recently, I met some L.A. collectors who saw my work and liked it. Since then, they have referred me to some other collectors not just from L.A. but across the country. I am incredibly grateful for these relationships and work in my studio everyday to create paintings that people want.

Art Interview: You are currently showing nationally in the USA but are you planning to do international shows?

Daniel Maltzman: I haven't really hit the international scene at all yet but it is just a matter of time.

Art Interview: Did you do group shows before having solo exhibitions?

Daniel Maltzman: Yes, I did a couple of group shows but I prefer doing the solo exhibitions.

Art Interview: How large are your paintings?

Daniel Maltzman Exhibition

Art Interview: How long does it take you to finish a painting?

Daniel Maltzman: Fifteen minutes. (Laughs) Just kidding. It varies because some paintings may take six months to complete and other paintings may take six days. It all depends on what the painting is and how the paints work. The worst thing I can do is work into a painting too much. I try to keep things to a point where there is looseness about the painting and it doesn't get too tight. I think that's what people appreciate about my work; they can just see a looseness in the painting that really gives it an interesting feel. If I work on something too long - I lose that looseness. I'm learning through past experience that I've got to be really careful about when to keep working the brush into the painting.

Most of the paintings start with a thickening of the canvas. The most critical element of my art is the first-step which is the layering of the painting. I don't want a flat canvas. I usually start every painting with an under-painting. I then work in different colors to really prep the canvasses. A painting can take anywhere from 2 weeks, for something that's not complicated, up to six months. But I always tell people, it's not the time that it takes to make a painting, it's the years and years of learning how to make the painting. You always want to try making it like a recipe but it's never like making cookies. That's why art is so expensive and that's why it's so hard to reproduce art because when you try to do the same thing again you always wind up starting over. I do variations of my paintings and I love to copy my own paintings. I always end up creating wonderful paintings that are very similar to the other paintings I've done but yet they're different enough so that they are true separate paintings, not copies of prior paintings. That's how I learned to create a body of work that was consistent, that had that Maltzman feel to it. Copying my own work is probably one of the most important things I've done throughout my career.

Daniel Maltzman

Daniel Maltzman: Yeah, it really helped. And now I have a nice consistent body of work.

Art Interview: Do you paint every day?

Daniel Maltzman: Yep, I paint every day. I get to my studio when it's light and leave when it's dark…

Art Interview: How long do you usually paint, do you do 8 hours?

Daniel Maltzman: At least 8 hours and when I leave the studio, it doesn't end there. At home, I'm taking pictures, on the computer, out at art exhibits, meeting new people and studying new techniques. It's unbelievable how consumed I become. It's a love and it's a passion and I wouldn't trade it for the world. Most of the time when you're working, it's work; whereas for me, even though I'm working, it's pure enjoyment.

Art Interview: So you get self-fulfillment as an artist?

Daniel Maltzman: Absolutely. Knowing that I am creating art for people to enjoy is incredibly fulfilling and gratifying.

Art Interview: How long did it take for you to become financially independent with your paintings?

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This oral history transcript is the result of a tape-recorded interview with Daniel Maltzman on September 2, 2005. The interview took place over the telephone between Berlin, Germany, and Los Angeles, California, USA and was conducted by Brendan Davis for Art Interview Online Magazine.