Kevin Dailey is a photographic artist who is anticipating the opening of an exhibit of his black and white sailing-themed photography at WORKPOINT in Stamford, Connecticut, from May 15 to July 27, 2018. The opening reception is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, June 6, from 5:30 PM to 8 PM. Although the focus of the exhibition will be on his sailing images, there will also be many of his popular “metal prints” on display. These vibrant digitally transformed and created images were a hit at ArtExpo 2018 which occurred in Manhattan in April.
Sailboats, photography, and sailing images
Kevin has been boating and racing sailboats for roughly fifty years and his love of the water can be seen in his sailing artwork. We asked him about his enthusiasm for sailing and how it influences his work.
“The most inspiring thing about sailing is that, as a sailor, you must harness the wind,” Kevin stated in a recent interview. “You can’t see it! You feel it, and you can see the effects of it on the surface of the water.” “You have to trim your sails to the wind and steer the boat to maximize the power.”
Kevin focused the subjects of his sailing photography and art on racing sailboats, and the crews onboard. He chose to shoot race boats and racing, since that was where he found the best-sailed boats, and the crews have the sails trimmed perfectly.
Being an ex sail-maker, he never wants to show sails trimmed incorrectly in his artwork.
He found the WORKPOINT venue purely through networking. “A fellow sailor and friend, Steve Minninger, rents an office at WORKPOINT-Stamford, a Co-Working space,” Kevin explained. “Jeffrey Kay the marketing director of WORKPOINT it is also a sailor.
Steve suggested that Jeff check out my work, as he would enjoy my sailing images and also might find my abstracts interesting as well. Jeff curates and rotates art through space every few months. They are always looking for, as they say, it, ‘special work,’ that is a good fit. I went to check it out and was won over instantly.
It would be a great place to work, but for displaying my art, the light was perfect. There is one whole wall that looks out on Stamford Harbor and Long Island Sound. This is the perfect backdrop for my sailing images! The large walls allowed me to show my large pieces of artwork without them looking cramped for space.”
Kevin is presently working on a new black and white sailing piece that will be printed on aluminum using the dye sublimation process. Kevin finds this material/medium fantastic for black and white images since it makes them “pop” and there is an apparent depth to the surface that he believes adds extra intensity to the overall image.
“The piece should be completed in time to debut it at the opening,” Kevin declared.
“It features two sailboats racing in very rough water. I am doing my ‘magic’ on the piece to add in extra drama and draw the viewer into the scene.”
Abstracts, favorite pieces, and group shows
Kevin was also pleased that Jeff was interested in having him display some of his digitally created abstract pieces. Jeff liked both styles of Kevin’s work and wanted him to display them at WORKPOINT-- something that Kevin regarded as a high honor. The gallery also boasts a full TV broadcast/media studio and is located in a district with a lot of foot traffic that is sure to draw many viewers into the exhibit.
“I have been doing several new abstracts that won’t be printed yet, but due to the nature of WORKPOINT I will be able to showcase these on the many over-sized television screens located in almost every room of the facility,” Kevin added.
“This will be a lot of fun, as I can debut a LOT of unseen work on just the opening night, and then they go back into my private collection.”
Although Kevin loves all of his pieces as if they were individual children, he confessed that his favorite piece in the show is one titled “Rounding Monaci” which is a dramatic shot of a racing sailboat rounding Monaci lighthouse off the coast of Sardinia.
“The winds were blowing around 35 knots, which is a lot to be racing in,” Kevin explained. “The boat was blasting along with lots of wave action and spray. Contrast that against the weathered surface of the lighthouse, and you have an amazing background to the action. I was shooting from halfway up the mast of a 77’ sailboat.
This was a great vantage point. The height gave me an angle of view of the boat that is not normally seen unless you are in a helicopter. We were in the same rough seas and high winds, so it was extremely challenging to get the shot. Sardinia is one of my favorite places to photograph sailboat racing, and this shot reminds of the joy I have when I am there!”
Aside from this showcase, Kevin also has a piece in a group show at Blink Art in Cincinnati, Ohio and several pieces in the Harbor Gallery in Rowayton, Connecticut, as well as in private collections. He also has two potential group shows coming up in the fall, and some one-man shows are being planned, and he is always looking for new opportunities to show his work.
