About Dionysus:

This intimate portrayal of Dionysus, the legendary Greek god of wine and revelry, isn’t necessarily the tribute to hedonism that the viewer may initially presume it to be. In fact, it’s actually a very personal composition chosen specifically by the artist, Damon Denys.

An interesting note about this painting is that it is tied to the origin of the name of the artist. Both the artist’s first and last names, "Damon" and "Denys", have their word origins in the Greek name "Dionysus". This is almost amusing when one considers that the artist’s name, therefore, is essentially redundant. With this in mind, it’s also interesting to note that the model for Dionysus was the artist himself. In this sense, Dionysus is a sort of double self-portrait. When one also considers that the figure of Dionysus is fairly akin to the artist’s own lively personality and enjoyment of revelry, spirits and all the merriment they entail, this painting becomes a rather multi-layered self portrait indeed, and one can understand why his friends view it with a knowing wink and nod.

An excellent realist painting using highly articulated classical realist style, its execution is appropriate for its classical subject matter. The grape leaves modeled in the painting were picked by the artist from vines that grew near his home, which he fashioned into a tiara. The ring that can be seen on the figure’s thumb is actually a subtle hint as to the personal nature of the painting: the artist wears such a ring on his own thumb--something those who know him immediately identify in the painting. The only departure from a true self-portrait in the painting is the bluish flecks in the figure’s eyes (the artist’s eyes are actually green).