"I believe that one of the most important functions of an artist is to share the beauty of the world around him. If I can encourage someone to appreciate the play of light on dry autumn grasses, or the texture of an old log fence or lichen covered rock, I feel I may have touched their soul."
"A Viewer can't experience the inspirational moment, but can only relate to paintings by filtering them through their own experiences.
I try to create a mood by evoking a feeling or memory. I'm not only interested in how an animal or scene looks, I want to convey how it feels to transcend the surface appearance and go beyond to the essence of the expericnce."
Dan's belief that an artist should remain a student throughout his life has led him on a path of continual growth and experimentation. Primarily self taught, Dan was selected for the Robert Bateman Master Class of 1991, and has studied at the Beartooth School of Art under renown painter Bob Kuhn.
Dan's interest in art began at an early age. He spent so much time drawing horses, rabbits and raccoons that, in an effort to conserve paper, his parents gave him a chalk board. Dan's interest in Impressionism began during high school art classes, when he felt a particular affinity for the art of Claude Monet. He was also attracted to the art of Andrew Wyeth, whose style became a major influence on Dan's later work.
In 1991, Dan was elected a member of the Society of Animal Artists. At the opening of the Society's 32nd Annual ART AND THE ANIMAL exhibit at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute in Jamestown, New York, Dan was awarded the Award of Excellence, the Society's Highest honor. While presenting the award, Dr. Douglas Lewis, curator of sculpture and decorative arts at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D. C., complimented Dan by referring to his painting " The Waiting Game" as one of the finest wildlife paintings he'd ever seen.
Dan lives with his wife Susan in a high mountain valley just outside Rocky Mountain National Park in north central Colorado.
Artist Biography
