Denny Driver
Denny's wife, Robin, describes his geometric, abstract work as "Asymmetrical Symmetry." Creating basic symmetrical compositions and then treating the individual shapes, pieces, and components differently, Denny brings asymmetry to his symmetrical work. Recurring elements in Denny's work include circles, squares, triangles, and red, yellow, blue: the primary shapes in geometry that all other shapes stem from, and the three primary colors from the color wheel that all other colors are derived from. Denny says his work explores how color behaves in relation to other colors, the basis behind color theory. "Outlining a color in black tends to make a color richer and more vibrant." While Denny's paintings are geometric, controlled, and ordered, he creates each piece organically. Denny approaches his paintings with a "make it up as you go along" attitude. He doesn't start with a sketch on paper to transfer to the canvas later; instead, he drafts a design directly on the blank, white canvas.
Denny grew up in the city of Wenatchee, WA, a midsized agricultural community along the winding Columbia River, where apples grow and two rivers meet. Denny lived in the same house for 20 years on a small dead-end street that empties into the back of the local community college, a street where he, his brother, and his four sisters all rode their bikes, played baseball, and engaged in late-night games of hide-and-go-seek with the rest of the neighborhood kids (no yard was off limits). After graduating from the Art Institute of Seattle, earning a degree in visual communications, Denny had various jobs in the commercial art field including graphic design, advertising, publishing, licensed apparel, and exhibit work at a regional museum, before becoming a full-time painter. The graphic design skills he learned in art school came into practice as Denny developed his painting style. Denny currently lives in Ahtanum (a sub-city of Yakima, WA) with his wife, Robin, and their son, Eli. Denny's home studio is a 19' x 11' remodeled third bay of their three-car garage where he paints and creates daily.