Artist Highlight

Daniel Lai, a self-taught artist, is known to have very innovative art making skills. Collectors from around the world frequently acquire his art. He has been published in numerous books and magazines and has earned several awards nationally and internationally. 

Lai has been juried into many exhibits. A few examples are the 2008 solo show “ICON: An Exploration of Western Culture,” Estel Gallery, Nashville, TN., 2007 public solo “Burnt Portraits Public Art Exhibit,” Arcade Building, Nashville, TN., and “Faculty Show,” Todd Gallery, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN. in 2008. Some of the awards he has earned are 2014 Piedmont Park Art festival Best in Craft, 2004 International Photography Award (IPA), Los Angeles, CA., 2003 Award of Excellence, 23rd Annual Spring Photography Competition by Photographer’s Forum Magazine, 2007, and 2005 Publication Awards, Direct Art, Fall/Winter 2007 issue and Spring 2005 issue, SlowArt Production, Phoenicia, NY.

Daniel, of Chinese descent, was born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He moved to the United States in 2000. He was granted US citizenship through extraordinary ability in field of fine art and arts management in 2014. He has a BA in Linguistics (2003) and an MA in Art Studies/Art History (2006) from Montclair State University. He is currently working on his PhD in Sociology at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.