Daniel Byrne specialises in developing and working with robust paper-based materials, transforming nature’s most arresting specimens into living beings by reimagining the poses and formations of real life and translating these into dynamic compositions. His inspiration is drawn from the drama of the natural world and the potential of colour and pattern presented by multiples.

His work incorporates butterflies, with their varying colours and wing patterns, birds and fish – all lending themselves particularly well to graphic compositions.

Each bird or butterfly is fabricated by hand in paper-based materials, usually with a metallic reflective quality, each involving a further five processes including printing, die cutting, scoring, folding into a 3Dimensional form, finishing and pinning to the back board. Every artwork represents hundreds of hours of dedicated precision making and is made to commission.

A close up of butterflies by Guilded artist Daniel Byrne

Artwork

Murmurations
Surge
Wave
Guilded artist Daniel Byrne Grosvenor House commission
Cluster
Night Flight_an artwork of paper butterflies by Guilded artist Daniel Byrne
Night Flight
Guilded artist Daniel Byrne close up of paper butterflies
Colour sample

After graduating from Falmouth Art College in 1993, Daniel immersed hisself in a career in Graphic Design, working at leading branding design agencies with a broad range of clients. Although rewarding and varied, his true love had always been crafting with his hands and in 2015 he dedicated his life to making art

As an artist coming from a background of graphic design Daniel explores the potential in breaking free from the confines of static, ordered singularity.

Each piece begins with a two-dimensional image and evolves into a three-dimensional object: fabricated in paper-based materials by hand, using a unique blend of 5 (or however many) precision processes.

His early work was in reaction to the macabre in Victorian butterfly displays and inspired by his desire to breathe life into them. He replaced uniformity with movement and created hand-cut compositions that appeared to be breaking free of their frames.

Conceptually Daniel transforms natures most arresting specimens into living beings by reimagining the poses and formations of real life and translating these into dynamic compositions.