About the Artist: Trained as a graphic designer with a degree from Iowa State, Dan paints in the studio and on location (plein air), and has won many awards including several best-of-show in juried competitions and art fairs throughout the Midwest.
For more than 25 years, Dan has taught watercolor and previously served as the president of the MN Watercolor Society. His technique uniquely combines opaque acrylic with transparent watercolor that stylizes the landscape and is influenced by printmakers and batik artists.
Dan has been fortunate to have two extended stays in China - painting, teaching and exhibiting. In addition to China, he has painted in Puerto Rico, Scotland, Ireland, Canada and throughout the United States.
“I am obsessed with design, negative shape making and the ruggedness of the north. These obsessions led me to study Canadian painters, most notably Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven, who worked primarily in the early 1900’s. The illustrative style is personally relatable to me. Their career paths evolved from graphic designers, to illustrators, to painters. This has been my path as well.
Finding rhythm in the landscape has become a hallmark of my work. Rhythm to me is connecting highlight shapes with linked shadow shapes in an interesting way that creates movement and pathways for the eye.
My technique uniquely combines opaque acrylic with transparent watercolor that stylizes the landscape and is influenced by printmakers and batik artists. Their approach to creating negative shapes is similar to how I construct and distill my scenes. “ - Dan Wiemer