Dan's Story
This is an evolving site that allows me to share both my day-to-day adventures as an artist and the growing body of work I have acumelated over the years. As such, it will encompass everything from the serious Fine Art endeavors to whimsical adventures and philosophical thoughts. I also hope to comment on adventures in the professional world of commercial art and film/video production, though I may eventually move that content to another blog.
I’m discovering my way with this site as I go. My goal is to provide a view into my working life, so that you might get a virtual peak into my studio on an almost daily basis.
In the end, whether it be a Corporate Video or a Fine Art Painting, the inspiration comes from the same sacred quiet creative energy that I have been blessed to have in my life.
Brief Bio: I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of California at Los Angeles, School of Motion Picture and Television in 1985. I worked for the next ten years in the L.A. film industry. I received the Silver Bear Award for Cinematography at the Berlin International Film Festival for My Place in 1983, and the CINE Golden Eagle Award for the Spirit of a People documentary in 1994.
In 1989 I took a keen interest in digital media and began to learn interactive and digital graphic design. This Interest bloomed into time as lead designer for Earthquest Interactive and then as CEO of the Multimedia Design Firm Planet X Productions. In 1992 My wife and I moved to Seattle and it was not long before I was sucked into the Orbit of Microsoft, which gave me an offer I could not refuse. I spent three years helping to design and build and then run an interactive television studio for their research group. This lead to a two-year stint as Creative Director of Microsoft Studios.
I left Microsoft in 1999 to pursue Fine Art full time. Thus began five years of developing my photographic and painting skills. I’ve had multiple solo gallery shows and have been collected internationally. In 2005 I decided return part time to commercial work and I now split my time fairly evenly between personal art and corporate art.
I’m very excited at this juncture of time by the rapid the migration of film making technology to the desktop and small studio environment. This has made it possible for me to practice my still favorite art form, cinema, in a highly personal and free manner. My first Art Film, Atlas Dei, made with composer/Musician Robert Rich is now in release on DVD. I am currently working on a documentary about organic/sustainable local agriculture and a cartoon series that will blend my more whimsical paintings with my children’s art.
Keep checking out my blog to get the latest greatest previews of works in progress.
-dan