"I strive to capture the essence
and presence of life, that spark which animates matter, on a two
dimensional plane so that others may experience a living reality
inside my paintings."
"I
invite you to come with me to explore nature through my eyes and
mind and heart..."
"With my subject still in view, if I am lucky - some critters
move very quickly, or at least still fresh in my mind's eye, I
begin to record the impressions in quick, rough sketches. I also
make notes which help me to remember the fine details - the color
of the feathers, the feel of the wind, the light of the day -
anything that can bring me back to that exact moment and that
exact place in space and time. In this way I can re-live the moment
and is associated emotions again later when I am in the studio
working on the painting, which can sometimes be years after the
fact.
"Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Dan grew up in rural Cajun
country. Nature was always close at hand. Early in life, Dan lived
in Europe, traveling and exploring the history of western art.
He never imagined at that time that he would someday take up the
brush to create his own works. Dan's interest in art has always
been keen and his love of nature a passion. Combining these two
elements formed a natural complement and set a new path for his
life...
Celebrating Nature's Truth and Beauty in Paintings."
Vision
:::
Being an artist is not something I do ...it is something I am
I paint what I have experienced in my head and in my heart. It
is my privilege to capture the essence and presence, the truth
and beauty of nature and to share with others what I have experienced.
Too few people have the opportunity to be in wild places and experience
nature - too many have lost touch with nature altogether - I hope
to bring some part of nature to these people - to share these
experiences. This is a tradition which goes back to ancient cave
paintings.
I am called by wilderness and wild life - by the majesty of nature
- my objective is to bring to others the beauty and truth I find
there...
Although beauty can be found in the human form, in man-made objects,
my eye is captivated by the beauty of birds, fish, turtles and
mammals... from aardvarks to zebras and everything in-between...
mountains and valleys, wetlands and deserts... wherever life succeeds.
Working
Methods :::
As I explore nature, from the far reaches of the Everglades to
the misty Rocky mountain tops, to my own back yard, I open my
eyes and mind and heart. I always try to go beyond the surface
to capture the essence of what I experience. My journal becomes
a time machine - allowing me to record my experiences so that
I can later go back in time and re-experience in order to re-create
in my paintings all that I have seen and felt. In my studio, I
gather all my reference materials - field sketches, journal writings,
photographs, videos and actual pieces of habitat and I begin to
work out composition and story for the painting. Just as I am
transported back in time - I hope to transport the viewer of my
paintings back to that moment when I experienced the subject of
the painting. I always begin with the drawing to work out all
the details and composition. Once the drawing is complete, I transfer
to the painting surface and begin to re-create the life and truth
and beauty which inspired me in the first place. The actual painting
is the culmination of all the steps before and is the magic time
when a flat surface comes alive!"
Materials
& Techniques :::
"I use traditional materials and techniques - except when
I break a few "rules" - oil paint on linen or canvas,acrylic
paint on canvas or archival hardboard panel, watercolor on D'Arches
paper and...Here's where the rules get bent a little...Using a
combination of opaque and transparent watercolor on archival cotton
Ph neutral illustration board or archival hardboard panel, I finishthe
painting with multiple coatings of specially prepared layers of
isolation layers and varnishes, using a technique I developed
over a period of years, which give the finished paintings the
look and feel of oil paintings.I call this medium - WATERMADIA.
These paintings can be framedwithout glass - in traditional oil
painting frames with perfect safety! I use only archival paints,
substrates and framing materials."
Exhibitions
:::
"I made my public debut in 1996 at the LEIGH YAWKEY WOODSON
ART MUSEUM in Wausau, Wisconsin in that years BIRDS IN ART exhibition.Each
year over 20,000 collectors, connoisseurs, ornithologists, environmentalists,
dedicated bird watchers, art lovers and artists come from all
over the world to view and participate in the event at the preeminent
museum dedicated to avian art in the world. In 1997, "Mute
Swan" was selected by the museum for its year long touring
exhibit. The painting was selected for purchase by the museum
for their permanent collection. I have exhibited a numerous art
shows, competitions, and festivals around the country, from Florida
to Minnesota, from California to Washington, D.C."
Studies
:::
"I have had the good fortune to have studied with some of
the finest artists in the world :
Terry Isaac, John Seerey-Lester, Guy Coheleach, Carl Brenders,
Richard Sloan and Rod Frederick.
I have spent thousands of hours practicing and integrating what
I have learned. Add to this, thousands of trips, over a period
of decades, to visit and explore national parks and wildlife refuges
and wilderness areas - from the Everglades to Yosemite, From the
coast of Maine to California and countless places in-between -
I am drawn to wild places. I take every opportunity to visit zoological
parks, rehabilitation centers and private game preserves to experience
first hand the many exotic species rarely seen in the wild."
