Slowly but surely Daniel DeSilva is acquiring a reputation as an artist with a distinctive style, and his market is growing. It is an impressive beginning for someone who, until 1999, had not shown his work anywhere. In fact he says it was his wife, Deanne, who influenced him to hold his first one-man exhibition at the Masterworks Gallery.

For that show he chose to focus mainly on elements of Bermudian architecture, but also included three botanical paintings: 'Ba-na-na,' 'Locust and Wild Honey,' and 'Travelling Palm'.

His work was well received, and gave him encouragement to submit the three botanical paintings to the Bacardi Biennial Exhibition at the Bermuda National Gallery. To his delight, 'Ba-na-na' was accepted, and he has never looked back.

"Since 1999 it has been really exciting," Mr. DeSilva says. "When my painting was accepted in the Biennial I was overwhelmed with how many people recognised it and knew it, and knew my style, so in many ways that show is really good for local artists to get their work displayed and recognised."

Now Mr. Desilva is gearing up for the September 14 opening of 'Botanica,' his second one-man show at the Masterworks Gallery in Bermuda House Lane. As the title implies, his focus this time is botanical, and in all there will be 16 canvases, including some triptychs.

"Basically, the show was thought out in January, and I began painting in March, but because I teach art at the Bermuda High School for Girls it's hard to set aside time to paint, so I had to wait until the summer holidays in order to preserve my sanity," the artist says.

Careful planning always precedes the painting process, and includes not only building up a photographic reference library whose images can be cropped or rearranged as required, but also gathering real leaves.

"I use them as a colour guide, and then I can make adjustments to the colours for the design of the picture," he says.

Small wonder, then, that his acrylic paintings reflect a lifelike clarity, with clean lines and meticulous brushwork which extends over the wrapped edges of the canvas.

Like many artists, Mr. DeSilva is often torn between keeping paintings he truly loves, and selling them.

"It's hard a lot of the time, but you have to say, 'I have said good-bye to my baby, but it is still out there'. You have to be able to get your work out there; it is not going to do you any good locked away in your house. After all, you can paint another one."

In fact, he was surprised to learn recently from someone travelling to Bermuda on a British Airways flight that the on-board menu included a list of activities in Bermuda, and his upcoming Masterworks show was mentioned.

"I thought that was pretty neat," he says. "You never know who will pop by."

Meanwhile, the artist's mind is already racing ahead to another exhibition in two years time.

"Unless I plan for a regular interval, I probably would not get any substantial work done," he says.

Watch this space.

'Botanica' is the penultimate exhibition in Masterworks' Artists Up Front...Street series, and runs from September 14-28. For further information ( 295-5580 or fax 292-3655.