I’ve been painting now for several decades. Through that time I have been influenced by many artists, too many to list here. I love researching art history and the techniques of past artists.
Dan’s life began as a Cinderella story. When he left home in Iowa at 18, he worked on a roofing crew. By the end of summer he was employed by the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. The CRMOA happens to house the largest collection of work by the regionalist Grant Wood and became Dan’s first major and lasting influence.
Eventually Dan moved to Minnesota with his new bride, Vicky, earned an MFA in painting and art history from the University of Minnesota and immersed himself in the Twin Cities art scene. He become a successful theatrical and television artist and eventually transitioned to full-time painting. His work is included in 72 public collections and found in lengthy list of media outlets. He has received numerous awards, grants and scholarships, including two Minnesota State Arts Board grants in 2019 and 2021. In 2025, his work was juried into the prestigious Salmagundi Artist Club’s national exhibition in New York (past members included George Inness, William Merritt Chase, and Norman Rockwell) and was subsequently offered membership.
I am an avid experimenter, most recently with ala prima painting. My interest in ala prima began as the result of turpentine poisoning in 2014 due to a poorly ventilated studio. Not willing to give up oil painting, I experimented with a variety of solvent free techniques, all of which are traditional and time proven. One in particular dates back to the 17th century.
As for subject matter, I am inspired by the meaning and beauty of what I see. As a professor once said to me, “Maybe you’re like Monet. He referred to him self as “just an eye”. I can find beauty in cityscapes, landscapes and in people going about their daily business. I am drawn both to the character and moodiness of the north shore and to the patterns and narratives of a rural landscape. And consistent with my very first and lasting influence, the Regionalists of the 1930’s, I love in particular to celebrate the lives of people who might otherwise be overlooked.