ACTOR - ARTIST - CATTLE RANCHER

ABOUT DANIEL STERN

"I can spend five days, simply pressing small pieces of clay to form the ruffles on a Flamenco dancer’s dress. Each of those thousands of pieces must be placed exactly right to capture the illusion and texture I’m striving for. During this process, I enter a zone—where it’s just me, my music, and the clay. The self-awareness fades away, and I become like an animal, focused solely on the task at hand—building my nest or spinning my web.
This is a space where problem-solving becomes second nature, driven by a constant desire for stability and a resistance to wasted effort. My whole body is involved, constantly visualizing what needs to be done, and pushing forward with the tenacity to make it happen. I work instinctively, creating something that feels absolutely necessary.
In my studio, I am raw, imperfect, and human—an animal seeking both physical and spiritual satisfaction through the hard labor of creation. Here, I embrace my imperfections, rectify my mistakes, indulge in my imagination, and forgive my limitations. It’s a place of pride, decision-making, worry, pacing, and sometimes, dancing. Through this process, I find both purpose and peace, and ultimately, I create work that feels deeply true to who I am."

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My Work With Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Boys & Girls Clubs of America serve an incredibly vital function in thousands of communities throughout this country and on military bases throughout the world. They serve millions and millions of children every day, providing homework help, guidance counseling, sports, healthy food, mentorships, job training and countless other programs to ensure that EACH child has the chance to reach their potential, no matter what their circumstance. They also provide the working parents with much needed child care during those hours between the end of school and when they get home from work at a price that is made affordable to everyone.

My wife and I founded the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu in 1999, in two trailers on the blacktop behind Malibu High School. We saw the children in our community with nothing to do after school except surf and smoke weed and we wanted to create a safe place for all of those kids to go. That is when we turned to the Boys & Girls Clubs and realized that we did not have to reinvent the wheel. This organization already had all of the programs developed and offered us guidance, connections, grants and anything else they could offer to help us succeed.

​And we did. Today our club still serves hundreds of kids each day. The same two trailers are still there, although you wouldn’t recognize them. And now there are satellite clubs on all of the elementary schools in Malibu as well. Our club is but one success story. They have helped create thousands of local clubs in cities, rural communities, reservations, military bases and anywhere there are children in need. which is everywhere. And out of each of these successful clubs comes thousands and thousands of successful young people, ready to make the world a better place.

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"Carry The Flag" 
A Special Piece for Gov. Newsom

Our California State Flag represents Us. The Republic. The People. While true that each of us are on our own individual journey, our government is about all of the things we share collectively and the values we have in common. We all have a stake in educating our children, protecting our workers and unions, improving health and health care, clean water and air, peaceful coexistence, respect for law and a positive business environment to unleash the creativity of our citizens so we can all make a fair and decent living for our families.

​Our entire social fabric is represented in this flag. The figure in the sculpture is a man in motion, boldly and confidently carrying Our Flag into the future. We are heading into uncharted territory. He is extending himself as fully as possible, raising the flag as high as possible to say, “The Republic, The People are the ones that have the power and the creativity that make California great!”. Even though he seems to be barely hanging on, he is looking back with assurance, letting The People who are following his leadership know that we are on the right track. His optimism, his balance, his skill, his intelligence, his clarity and grace gives The People confidence, for they see themselves in him.

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A Tribute to Uncle Charlie Rouchka
​for Habitat for Humanity

Daniel Stern partnered with San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity by contributing his great talent to commemorate Charles (Uncle Charlie) Rouchka’s life through sculpture.  Uncle Charlie retired from a career of service in the US Navy, and left a legacy by helping Habitat build affordable homes for three veterans and their families.  He now watches over the community of nine affordable homes in West Pasadena, while the children play near, and sometimes on, the sculpture that is his likeness.  Daniel was a true partner in the process, and spent time learning about Charlie’s life from family and friends in order to capture both his physical being and spirit.  We are thrilled to have worked closely with Daniel on this project, and gained not only a wonderful sculpture, but a friend as well.

-Mark Van Lue
Executive Director San Gabriel Valley Habitat For Humanity

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Curriculum Vitae​

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PUBLIC ART/EXHIBITIONS/COMMISSIONS

2024
Public Art at Canyon Park for The City of Monrovia:
Always Ready,” “Clearing the Way,” and “Precious Cargo.”
2023
Private Commission: “ Flying Woman” and “Flying Man. ”
2022
Private Commission: “Lives of a Man” and
"Lives of a Woman”
2018
Private Commission 
 “Splits”
2017
Public Art Commission- San Gabriel Habitat for Humanity
“Uncle Charlie”
2016
Public Art Commission- City of Monrovia, Ca.
“Action”
2015
Public Art Commission- Agoura Hills, Ca.
“Angle of Repose”
Private Commission- Battle Mountain Winery
“Flamenca Dancer”
2014
Public Art Commission- Temple City, CA.
“Red Car Man” and “Red Car Woman”
2013
Public Art Commission- City of Coronado, Ca.
“Handstand”
 Public Art Commission- Pre-Qualified artist, Temple City, California , Art in Public Places Program
Exhibit- Visions of America Exhibit, Fred Kavli Theatre Gallery, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza
Public Art Commission- City of Palm Desert, El Paseo Invitational Exhibit 2013-2014

PUBLIC ART/EXHIBITIONS/COMMISSIONS CONT.

2012 
Private Commission- Space Abbot Kinney, Venice, California 
“Pour” 
Public Art Commission- Pasadena Rotating Public Arts Program 
2011 
Public Art Commission- Pasadena Rotating Public Arts Program 
Public Art Commission- The San Diego Port Authority
Urban Trees 7 
2010 
Exhibit- Tracy Park Gallery, Featuring Daniel Stern & Jacqueline Cedar, Malibu, California 
Exhibit- Angeleno Magazine & Fendi Casa: Arts and Power Featuring Daniel Stern & Alejandro Gehry, Los Angeles, California 
​2009 
Exhibit- L.A. Contemporary Gallery, Culver City, California 
Exhibit- Iceboxx Studio - Jennifer White Kuri’s Global Women Project - Featuring Daniel Stern, Culver City, California ​​





​​GALLERIES/ART FAIRS
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2012-2016
Waxlander Gallery- Santa Fe, New Mexico Christian Hohmann Gallery, Palm Desert, California Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico

2010-2012
City of Thousand Oaks Arts Festival San Francisco Fine Art Fair
City of Agoura Hills Cultural Arts Council, Night at the Adobe
The Beverly Hills Affaire In The Gardens