Friendly Planet

An exhibit of local artist Dani Byers’ work will open this Friday, February 4th, at the Friendly Planet Loft, 200 Seward Street, from 4:30 to 7:30. It will run through the month of February. JuneauMusic.com had the privilege to interview Dani recently over breakfast at Costa’s Tin Pan Alley Diner.

Dani was born and raised here in Juneau. Her mother, also an artist, supplied her with drawing materials instead of coloring books. Later Dani received lessons from Mia Lager. By the time she was 17, Dani knew that painting was what really made her happy. She feels that her painting, still largely experimental, is how she best expresses herself and shares her interpretation of beauty. What is beauty? The quick answer over a plate of breakfast is that beauty lies in “symmetry, and how it makes your eyeballs pop.” (We can relate.)

Her favorite thing about Juneau? Summertime! (Many can also relate.) Otherwise Dani prefers to travel. For instance, she spent three months after graduating from JDHS traveling in Australia, primarily on the east coast. Most recently, she spent four months in Italy, Greece, and the Czech Republic. Her time in Italy included a course on the history of Renaissance art, visits to the cities of Tuscany, Venice, and Rome.

Her travels have supplied subject matter for some of the artwork in this exhibit. For example, ‘Sydney Botanical Gardens’ is one of her favorite paintings on display and is the painting shown on the exhibit poster. Dani was drawn to the tree by the many bulges on its trunk, in contrast with the smooth texture of its bark. It is, she noted, not like the trees around here. This tree also emitted weird noises from a crook in its trunk that led her boyfriend to investigate. He found a Possum unlike any seen in the US, and continued to climb out onto a branch and into the painting. Another favorite is of her hand holding a Greek sea urchin. These are especially interesting because under the black spines their shells are many different colors, pink or blue or purple rather than the typical Juneau green.

Dani’s favorite subject matter lately has been the human figure. This show has two: one of Tara Greenwood and a portrait of John Leo, who is apparently the only person who thinks it looks like him. He was happy enough with this painting to commission another work from Dani. There’s also additional material from Dani’s travels including two painted in greece,
one blind drawing on newsprint that has been cross-stitched onto a backing to show, and some other drawings in pencil and charcoal.

Lately, Dani has been painting with oils. She enjoys their richness of color, and also their longer drying time, giving her more time to play with the paint. She draws using 4B pencils as well as charcoal. She paints on canvas. What’s her favorite drawing surface? Dani draws on everything! but really likes pen and ink on homemade paper. She thinks that would make good material for another show.

Dani considers herself to be more of a drafstman than a painter, working more in lines and color than in the paint itself. She usually carries a sketchbook, sketches every day and then only sometimes paints, as a culmination. Her favorite thing about the painting process: “I love the planning!” Dani likes to make mental lists and plan projects in her head while doing other things, always spinning possibilities for her paintings. What she likes best about her most recent finished product: letting go of accuracy as a goal.

Dani invites everyone to come see her broadbased collection of experimental paintings and drawings, and meet her upstairs at Friendly Planet this Friday.