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BIOGRAPHY - Mark Daly (Born 1956)

Mark Daly

Born in 1956, the fifth of seven children, Mark Daly grew up on Long Island, New York. With his mother’s encouragement, he began to draw at a young age. Living near the Long Island Sound, however, meant that young Daly was also fascinated with boats and fishing, and when he met Woodhull B. Young (1910-1998), he discovered a kindred spirit. Young was the curator of the nearby Vanderbilt Museum, which had opened to the public in July 1950, but he was also an avid fisherman. As Daly recalls, he spent hours learning to draw in Woodhull’s studio near the harbor, and an equal amount of time learning to fish in his dory. These early experiences would prove to be formative.

In the late 1960s, Daly’s focus shifted to music. He acquired a guitar at age twelve, learned how to play it, and like many teenage boys of his generation, was soon working in bands. Music had become a central element in his life.

After graduating from high school in 1974, he decided to take some time to work before starting college. Not surprisingly, he chose to work in an audio store, beginning as a stock boy, but moving quickly into managerial roles and helping to expand the chain of stores throughout the New York City area. The business experience he gained during these years was also beneficial to his musical career, teaching him how to make informed strategic decisions that would allow the band to prosper financially. 

Two years later, and considerably more savvy about business, Daly set out for Cornell University to study economics. It was there that he was introduced to art history, an experience that he still recalls with pleasure. During college, he was also given a mandolin by a former girlfriend; today, he not only composes for the mandolin and produces his own music, but also plays with a variety of very well-known musicians and bands.

Daly graduated from Cornell in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics, and immediately put his entrepreneurial skills to work when one of his brothers wanted to start a new business selling horse tack room products. That was followed by a stint as a market research analyst for CBS in Manhattan. Meanwhile, Daly’s personal life took an unexpected turn when he met a woman during a visit to his sister in Key Biscayne, Florida in 1980. He proposed to Gigi three months later, and they were married in September 1981.

By this time, Daly had realized that he needed a master’s degree in business administration in order to move ahead with his career, and had applied to Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. He and Gigi packed up and moved to Philadelphia immediately after the wedding. In 1982, he was working through his MBA program, found a job with the Gillette Company in Boston and became a father for the first time.

The whirlwind of schooling, moving and starting a family settled into a more measured pace when Daly moved to Cincinnati to accept a position as a brand manager at Procter & Gamble Company in 1983. He remained with the consumer product producer for five years; during this time, his second son arrived in 1985. In 1988, Daly left P&G to start his own marketing business, On Target Media. This gave him room to develop his services as a strategic marketing specialist. Although this does initially appear to be related to Daly’s work as an artist, it is in fact at the core of his thinking about how to approach any creative endeavor. Putting together ideas, people and resources in a way that makes a contribution to society is central to Daly’s approach.

Throughout his years of working primarily in business, Daly also continued his career as a musician. His work as a mandolin player has allowed him to enjoy the pleasures of playing with a number of well-known musicians without the disadvantages of living on the road.  His family continued to grow when a third son was born in 1991, and his business ventures continued to evolve as well. In 2005, he authored the well-respected book, 5 Steps to Board Success, a how-to guide for small and mid-size businesses.

Daly’s return to the visual arts began in June 2007 when his oldest son suggested that the two of them spend a day painting together. The result was that Daly saw new perspectives opening in front of him. Although he had not drawn or painted consistently in many years, his early training with Woodhull B. Young served him well as the foundation for what would ultimately become a new career.

As he became increasingly immersed in plein air painting, Daly read voraciously, soaking up everything from Robert Henri’s The Art Spirit (1923) to John F. Carlson’s book Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting (originally published as Elementary Principles of Landscape Paintings in 1928 and re-issued in 1953 and 1973.) In addition, he studied and absorbed the lessons of artists such as Guy C. Wiggins (1883-1962) John Singer Sargent (1856-1925), Joaquín Sorolla (1863-1923) and Childe Hassam (1859-1935) as well as more recent painters like Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009) and Edward Seago (1910-1974).

Perhaps most significant has been the mentorship offered by C. W. Mundy (b. 1945), the Indianapolis-based American Impressionist painter. Mundy has been a consistent guide, providing direction, suggestions and critiques as Daly developed his own artistic vision. He remarks that Carolyn Anderson has also been an influential teacher, especially in showing him how to see the edges of objects and how to be purposeful about painting. Daly credits her with encouraging him to have confidence in his brushstrokes.

Daly keeps a diary of every painting that he creates, making notes on what worked, what didn’t and what he’s hoping to improve. This kind of attention to the lessons absorbed in each and every painting not only provides Daly with a method of recording what he perceives as the challenges of each artwork, but also provides a useful reference for future canvases. Being able to look back at the diary and remember what he’s learned in the past is an invaluable tool. 

Daly’s first national recognition as an artist came in 2011 when one of his paintings, Lifting Fog, was accepted for the American Impressionist Society's 12th Annual National Juried Exhibition in Carmel, California. Other nationally juried exhibitions followed promptly every year thereafter. In 2015, six of Daly’s paintings featuring the American flag were included in E. Ashley Rooney and Stephanie Standish’s book, Stars & Stripes; The American Flag in Contemporary Art; in fact, Daly’s painting Presidential Flags was featured on the cover. In addition, Daly is a member of the American Impressionist Society, Oil Painters of America, Cincinnati Art Club and Greenacres Artists Guild.

Today, Daly maintains studios in Ohio and Maine and travels extensively to paint. Recently, he spent three weeks in Paris, painting people and street scenes everywhere from the Champs-Elysées to the Cafe des Flores. Most memorable, however, was painting the exterior of the Cafe de la Palette, where Picasso and Braque once gathered with friends, when a waiter approached to tell him that the owner wanted to purchase his painting.

In explaining his artistic process, Daly says: “Every painting is an opportunity to grow. To improve, I travel to new locations, try experimental paintings, keep a diary of every painting, participate in critique sessions, visit museums and paint/talk with gifted mentors. For me, every painting is a new adventure--a journey of discovery, growth and creativity. I like to capture the visual joys of life--people walking the streets of the city with patriotic flags flowing, families playing at the beach, peaceful boats reflecting in a calm harbor. A good composition, strong sense of light, honest color, confident brushstrokes, engaging edgework, and a connection with the viewer are outcomes I strive for.”

Janet Whitmore, Ph.D.

AVAILABLE WORKS
The Pink Umbrella - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
The Pink Umbrella
Oil on canvas
8 x 10 inches
Signed
Umbrellas at the Seashore - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Umbrellas at the Seashore
Oil on canvas-panel
9 x 12 inches
Signed
Seashore Colors - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Seashore Colors
Oil on canvas-panel
9 x 12 inches
Signed
Patriot\'s Ride (Boston, MA - Old North Church) - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Patriot's Ride (Boston, MA - Old North Church)
Oil on canvas-panel
24 x 18 inches
Signed
Striped Umbrella Beach Day - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Striped Umbrella Beach Day
Oil on canvas-panel
18 x 24 inches
Signed
New York Winter Flags - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
New York Winter Flags
Oil on canvas-panel
14 x 11 inches
Signed
Winter in the City - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Winter in the City
Oil on canvas-panel
12 x 9 inches
Signed
Old Trinity Winter - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Old Trinity Winter
Oil on canvas-panel
24 x 18 inches
Signed
Flags Along the Avenue - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Flags Along the Avenue
Oil on canvas-panel
24 x 18 inches
Signed
Fun in the Sun - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Fun in the Sun
Oil on panel
9 x 12 inches
Signed
Beach Day - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Beach Day
Oil on panel
12 x 16 inches
Signed
First Snow, New York City (Trinity Church) - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
First Snow, New York City (Trinity Church)
Oil on panel
30 x 24 inches
Signed
Circle of Umbrellas - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Circle of Umbrellas
Oil on panel
16 x 20 inches
Signed
Naples Pier - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Naples Pier
Oil on panel
9 x 12 inches
Signed
Radio City Music Hall, First Snow - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Radio City Music Hall, First Snow
Oil on panel
24 x 18 inches
Signed
Rainy Day Flags, New York City - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Rainy Day Flags, New York City
Oil on panel
24 x 18 inches
Signed
Flags Along the Avenue at 52nd Street - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Flags Along the Avenue at 52nd Street
Oil on panel
24 x 18 inches
Signed
A New York Treat - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
A New York Treat
Oil on panel
12 x 9 inches
Signed
At the Beach, Naples, FL. - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
At the Beach, Naples, FL.
Oil on panel
9 x 12 inches
Signed
Impression, Venice Sunset - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Impression, Venice Sunset
Oil on board
16 x 12 inches
Signed
Sold Works
Walk to the Lighthouse - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Walk to the Lighthouse
Oil on panel
9 x 12 inches
Signed
Yellow and Green Umbrella - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Yellow and Green Umbrella
Oil on panel
20 x 16 inches
Signed
Fifth Avenue Winter Flags - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Fifth Avenue Winter Flags
Oil on panel
16 x 12 inches
Signed
Under the Big Yellow Umbrella - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Under the Big Yellow Umbrella
Oil on canvas-panel
9 x 12 inches
Signed
42nd Street Winter Storm - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
42nd Street Winter Storm
Oil on canvas-panel
24 x 18 inches
Signed
Bridge Walk - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Bridge Walk
Oil on panel
12 x 9 inches
Signed
Old Trinity Winter Storm - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Old Trinity Winter Storm
Oil on canvas-panel
20 x 24 inches
Signed
Umbrella Day - Naples, FL. - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Umbrella Day - Naples, FL.
Oil on panel
12 x 9 inches
Signed
Empire Evening - View from top steps of the Salmagundi Club, 5th and 12th - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Empire Evening - View from top steps of the Salmagundi Club, 5th and 12th
Oil on panel
30 x 24 inches
Signed
Radio City Lights - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Radio City Lights
Acrylic and oil on canvas
24 x 18 inches
Signed
Path to the Flatiron, NYC - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Path to the Flatiron, NYC
Oil on panel
24 x 18 inches
Signed
Art Deco Building in Winter - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Art Deco Building in Winter
Oil on canvas
30 x 24 inches
Signed
Sea of Umbrellas (Naples, Florida, from Pier looking North) - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Sea of Umbrellas (Naples, Florida, from Pier looking North)
Oil on panel
24 x 18 inches
Signed
Chrysler Building in Winter (42nd Street looking East, at Bryant Park) - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Chrysler Building in Winter (42nd Street looking East, at Bryant Park)
Oil on panel
24 x 18 inches
Signed
Winter Color (New York City) - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Winter Color (New York City)
Oil on panel
12 x 9 inches
Signed
Blue Striped Umbrella, Naples, FL - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Blue Striped Umbrella, Naples, FL
Oil on panel
9 x 12 inches
Signed
Old Trinity and Old Glory - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Old Trinity and Old Glory
Oil on canvas
24 x 18 inches
Signed
New York Winter Flags - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
New York Winter Flags
Oil on panel
12 x 9 inches
Signed
Old Trinity Winter - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Old Trinity Winter
Oil on panel
12 x 9 inches
Signed
Winter Flags, Old Trinity Church - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Winter Flags, Old Trinity Church
Oil on panel
12 x 9 inches
Signed
Snow Along the Avenue - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Snow Along the Avenue
Oil on panel
16 x 12 inches
Signed
Rain in New York - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Rain in New York
Oil on panel
16 x 12 inches
Signed
Snow in New York - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Snow in New York
Oil on panel
16 x 12 inches
Signed
Flag Flurries - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Flag Flurries
Oil on panel
12 x 9 inches
Signed
Patriotic Flags in New York - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Patriotic Flags in New York
Oil on canvas
30 x 24 inches
Signed
Manhattan Flags - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Manhattan Flags
Oil on panel
20 x 16
Signed
Winter Flags (NYC) - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Winter Flags (NYC)
Oil on panel
20 x 16 inches
Signed
Old Trinity Flags - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Old Trinity Flags
Oil on panel
12 x 9 inches
Signed
President\'s Day, Old North Church (Boston, MA)
 - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
President's Day, Old North Church (Boston, MA)
Oil on canvas
24 x 18 inches
Signed
New York Winter Flags - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
New York Winter Flags
Oil on canvas on board
18 x 14 inches
Signed
Empire Flags in Snow (NYC, Broadway Looking South) - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Empire Flags in Snow (NYC, Broadway Looking South)
Oil on canvas
24 x 18 inches
Signed
Chrysler Building with Flags - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Chrysler Building with Flags
Oil on panel
24 x 18 inches
Signed
Empire State Building and Flags - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Empire State Building and Flags
Oil on panel
24 x 18 inches
Signed
Flags, Clearing Sky - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Flags, Clearing Sky
Oil on canvas
10 x 8 inches
Signed
Warm Snow, Madison Square Park - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Warm Snow, Madison Square Park
Oil on board
12 x 9 inches
Signed
Union Jack at Cartiers - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Union Jack at Cartiers
Oil on panel
16 x 12 inches
Signed
Brooklyn Bridge in Snow - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Brooklyn Bridge in Snow
Oil on canvas
20 x 16 inches
Signed
Snowing at Cartier, NYC - 5th & 52nd - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Snowing at Cartier, NYC - 5th & 52nd
Oil on canvas
16 x 20 inches
Signed
Presidential Flags - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Presidential Flags
Oil on canvas
40 x 30 inches
Signed
Flatiron Building in Snow - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Flatiron Building in Snow
Oil on panel
12 x 9 inches
Signed
Radio City Flags - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Radio City Flags
Oil on panel
12 x 9 inches
Signed
Snowy Flags Impressions  - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Snowy Flags Impressions
Oil on canvas
24 x 18 inches
Signed
Flags in Snow (Looking North from 17th St & Irving Place NYC) - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Flags in Snow (Looking North from 17th St & Irving Place NYC)
Oil on board
24 x 18 inches
Signed
Madison Avenue Flags - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Madison Avenue Flags
Oil on board
16 x 12 inches
Signed
Beach Day in July - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Beach Day in July
Oil on panel
9 x 12 inches
Signed
Beach Talk - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Beach Talk
Oil on panel
9 x 12 inches
Signed
Flatiron in Snow (5th Ave & 28th Street Looking South, NYC) - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Flatiron in Snow (5th Ave & 28th Street Looking South, NYC)
Oil on panel
20 x 16 inches
Signed
Joyful Waves - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Joyful Waves
Oil on panel
9 x 12 inches
Signed
High Tide (Naples) - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
High Tide (Naples)
Oil on board
12 x 16 inches
Signed
Striped Umbrella  - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Striped Umbrella
Oil on panel
9 x 12 inches
Signed
Flowing Flags - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Flowing Flags
Oil on panel
24 x 18 inches
Signed
Broad Street Commute - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Broad Street Commute
Oil on canvas
36 x 24 inches
Signed
View from Tiffany\'s Window  - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
View from Tiffany's Window
Oil on panel
24 x 18 inches
Signed
Flags & Snow (New York City, USA) - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Flags & Snow (New York City, USA)
Oil on canvas
20 x 16 inches
Signed
A Day at the Beach - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
A Day at the Beach
Oil on canvas on board
9 x 12 inches
Signed
At the Seashore - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
At the Seashore
Oil on canvas on board
9 x 12 inches
Signed
Beach Day, Sanibel - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Beach Day, Sanibel
Oil on canvas on board
9 x 12 inches
Signed
Beach Umbrellas - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Beach Umbrellas
Oil on canvas on board
9 x 12 inches
Signed
Winter on the Avenue (5th Avenue NYC) - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Winter on the Avenue (5th Avenue NYC)
Oil on panel
24 x 18 inches
Signed
East Wacker Place looking West (Chicago) - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
East Wacker Place looking West (Chicago)
Oil on panel
20 x 16 inches
Signed
Michigan Avenue Flags (Chicago)  - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Michigan Avenue Flags (Chicago)
Oil on canvas
20 x 16 inches
Signed
Old Trinity Flags in Winter
 - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Old Trinity Flags in Winter
Oil on panel
30 x 24 inches
Signed
Cartier Flags - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Cartier Flags
Oil on canvas
24 x 18 inches
Signed
Fifth Avenue Flags and Flurries - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Fifth Avenue Flags and Flurries
Oil on board
20 x 16 inches
Signed
Old Trinity Flags - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Old Trinity Flags
Oil on canvas
20 x 16 inches
Signed
Fifth Avenue Flags - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Fifth Avenue Flags
Oil on canvas
30 x 24 inches
Signed
Flags in Snow (New York City - Fifth Avenue) - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Flags in Snow (New York City - Fifth Avenue)
Oil on panel
20 x 16 inches
Signed
Old Glory in New York City - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Old Glory in New York City
Oil on canvas
24 x 18 inches
Signed, also signed titled and dated on the reverse
Old Trinity in the Snow - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Old Trinity in the Snow
Oil on panel
20 x 16 inches
Signed, also signed and titled on the reverse
Fifth Avenue Stroll (NYC) - Mark Daly
Mark Daly
(Born 1956)
Fifth Avenue Stroll (NYC)
Oil on board
30 x 24 inches
Signed