Today we’d like to introduce you to Dan Levar
Hi Dan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Art was always my calling. Fortunately I had incredibly supportive parents, who nourished my interests from a young age and continually told me that I could, and should, pursue being an artist despite the numerous uncertainties and struggles that pursuit carried. Throughout high school I had wonderful mentors that constantly pushed me and enabled me to build a portfolio strong enough to be accepted into the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Even though I had years of experience painting, MCAD was a challenge; all of my skills revolved around traditional art mediums and I lacked skills in digital and technological experience and I was often left wondering how I would translate my traditional knowledge and skills into a practice that would provide me with financial stability. After graduating from MCAD with a BFA in Fine Arts: Illustration, I began studying and apprenticing under someone who would prove to not only be one of my greatest mentors, but also dearest friends; Dan Souligny. I apprenticed under Dan and eventually worked for him for a handful of years in his business called “Black Collar Collective” where I learned the ropes of Adobe Creative Cloud programs and began to use those robust programs to compliment my work style. I became obsessed with typography, silk screen printing, apparel design and murals. After the death of my mother, I took a brief hiatus from creating art and decided to travel and rediscover myself. I had dreams of opening my own studio, a place where not only I could create but also a place where other artists had a space to collaborate, make and meet. After securing an ample sized studio space in Saint Paul in 2018, I began laying the foundation for fulfilling my dream and in 2020 I started my own brand, Sleepy Dan’s Supply Co. Then COVID hit. Somehow I was able to hold onto the studio space, and continued to work as a freelance muralist and designer, and juggle a part time job as a designer with the marketing team at the Wedge Community Co-op to make ends meet. Over the past 5 years I’ve worked for brands such as Professional Bull Riders (PBR), painted numerous murals for Los Campeones and designed apparel for Duluth Coffee Company, to name a few. Most of my time these days is spent doing client work, coordinating studio events at Neverest with two of the other members of the studio, and the occasional pop up shop where I sell my spirited merchandise and make connections within the community. My journey has been quite the grind, with ups and downs, successes and failures. Every risk has been worth it, and I wouldn’t change a thing. I’ve been blessed with the incredible support of friends, family, colleagues, customers and clients that have made all of my dreams a reality; becoming a full independent artist and doing what I love best.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has been as smooth as the roads in Minnesota. COVID was the most difficult struggle for me, as I ended up having to swallow my pride and pick up a job at the Wedge Community Co-op to make ends meet since I lost most of my clients during the first year of the pandemic.
Being a perfectionist has always been difficult for me. I often times find myself stalling on completing tasks because something isn’t “perfect” and I have to remind myself that something completed “almost perfect” is much better than “not completed at all”. I’m an over thinker, and have to continually remind myself to step away from things rather than try to power through when things aren’t clicking and I’m encountering creative block.
I demand a lot of myself. I’ve had many sleepless nights worrying that I haven’t done enough to earn my sunset, and have found myself on more than one occasion working into the early hours of the morning because I constantly feel like there’s more to be done. While it’s ok to grind, it’s also ok to take time to recharge and make sure that you can provide not only for yourself, but also for clients.
The lack of stability, specifically financial stability, has always been a difficult obstacle. Being a full time freelance artist means no guarantees, and you continually have to hold yourself accountable to make ends meet. Some months are better than others, and you have to plan accordingly.
My parents and attending MCAD taught me how to meet deadlines, work hard and give it my all. The business side of things, such as taxes and client relations, was something I had to learn on the fly.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I take pride in my ability to adapt to a client’s needs. I’ve done logo branding, apparel design, murals and poster gig work for a variety of clients nationwide. Over the past few years, I’ve become known as a local muralist since I’ve done multiple large scale pieces for a gym called Los Campeones Gym. I take a lot of pride in my brush control while painting, and understanding how to execute clean, crisp murals and lettering on any surface, of any size. My style is pretty graphical, since I’m greatly inspired by comic books and graphical novels. Using negative space, both in murals and designs has always been a strong suit of mine. I’d like to think that what sets me apart from others is my breadth of work and my ability to adapt to a client’s needs or requests.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I didn’t study graphic design at MCAD. In fact, I wasn’t allowed to. After I switched majors my junior year from Painting to Illustration, I tried to take a Graphic Design course but was told I had to take a general course in Photography first. I was adamant that taking a Photography course was a waste of my time and money, and that I only had so much time left and I should spend that time studying what would benefit me the most. Unfortunately my advisor didn’t agree with me, so I said screw it and took comic courses instead to learn how to use negative space better. I ended up studying masters such as Mike Mignola (Hellboy) and graffiti pros such as Mike Giant to learn how to use negative space, lettering and shape building. Only after graduating in 2011 did I realize that I seriously needed to learn Adobe products or else I’d be left in the dust. Between countless hours of Youtube and having a mentor who knew the programs, I finally began to get a grasp of how to use Adobe Illustrator that benefited my style. Now I use Adobe Illustrator and Procreate in tandem to create most of my designs; Illustrator for text and vectors and Procreate for a hand drawn quality.
Pricing:
- Apparel design starts at $500
- Interior Mural design starts at $2,500
- Logo and Branding starts at $1,500
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sleepydans.com
- Instagram: sleepydans.supplyco
