Most people recognize Dali’s famous oil painting titled “The Persistence of Memory” done in 1931 with his unusual soft clocks and watches dripping and drooping off tree limbs and over the edge of tables. Photo provided by Darla McCammon

By Darla McCammon

WARSAW — Salvador Dali had this to say about himself. “Every morning when I wake up, I experience an exquisite joy -the joy of being Salvador Dali – and I ask myself in rapture what wonderful things this Salvador Dali is going to accomplish today.” 

This artist admitted to megalomania and recalls drawing his first picture when he was only 6 years old.

Dali was born May 11, 1904, in Figueras on the coast of Spain. He was proud to be a Catalonian. His father was a notary and both parents were indulgent with this precocious son and spoiled him to the point that Dali said, “I was the absolute monarch of the house.”  This self-centered attitude would continue throughout his lifetime.

Dali did have many opportunities to be trained and exposed to art.  His schooling included the basics of art, drawing, even Calligraphy. His work was quickly recognized as exceptional. His father was advised about this unusual talent, but it was hitched to an often intractable personality. He attended an important drawing course and challenged the professor, who may have been frustrated by such a student who showed such promise but was willing-even eager-to change the rules. During this time, Dali created a very unusual work in which the entire painting was done with painted stones some as large as an apple.  Dali later related, “The painting was hung for a time in my parents’ dining room and I remember after the evening meal we would sometimes be startled by the sound of something dropping with a crash on the mosaic. My mother would stop sewing for a moment but my father would say, ‘It’s nothing–it’s just another stone that’s dropped from our child’s sky.’

Dali persuaded his father to send him to the Madrid Academy of Art.  He did well for a while but began causing protests among the students resulting in his expulsion—twice. 

Most people recognize Dali’s famous oil painting titled “The Persistence of Memory” done in 1931 with his unusual soft clocks and watches dripping and drooping off tree limbs and over the edge of tables.  In contrast, look at his painting titled “Girl at the Window” done in 1925 in oil on canvas. It was much more realistic and traditional. You can see the big difference in his work in just six years.  Dali continued to move on rapidly. His work began appearing at more art galleries and exhibits throughout Spain. Much of his work became more outrageous as well as more creative.  Breaking many art traditions, Dali continued to cause consternation as well as admiration for his journeys into the fantastic.  His work was considered as eccentric as his own personality and often caused a furor among more traditional artists, even challenging to the surrealists of the day.

Dali became one of the most famous artists in the world and received many honors and the recognition he always craved.  He lived a very full life with some tragedies and died in 1989.  Many museums now house his work.  You can visit the one in St. Petersburg, Fla.  They have a nice collection of his work and much information on his extremely interesting biography.  

EVENTS:  Warsaw City Hall Art Gallery:  Daniel Trump exhibiting through October. Multiple exhibitors daily. Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays. 302 E. Winona Ave. Warsaw, phone: (574)-267-5568. Time to think about 2022 Honeywell 92 County Competition. Want to be an exhibitor at Warsaw City Hall Art Gallery? Very good exposure for your work and good publicity about you.  Just drop an email to [email protected]  Subject: Art exhibit.

Dali’s painting titled “Girl at the Window” was done in 1925 in oil on canvas. Photo provided by Darla McCammon