Today we’d like to introduce you to Dan Wiemer.
Hi Dan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have been painting since I was a kid. My father was a landscape architect who taught me how to watercolor. His favorite painter was Winslow Homer. I graduated from Iowa State University with a BA in Graphic Design. My career started as a Designer at a small Minneapolis ad agency and evolved to illustration for clients in the Twin Cities and Chicago.
Over time, I became 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.
I ultimately shed a career of deadlines and transitioned to painting full-time which has been much more fulfilling for me personally.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
From a career standpoint, it felt like it took a long time to get traction and find my voice/direction. Pressure to utilize the computer as a tool was not appealing to me. It was only when I transitioned away commercial work and explored painting as a fine artist that I felt I started to “see” where I could go with my art.
The challenge for me from an artistic standpoint: exhausting the obvious, remaining stimulated and still finding fresh ways to paint the landscape.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I settled into my style about 20 years ago – it was like I found my voice. My style is like a printmaker or batik artist, considering the negative shapes first and thus creating more interesting positive shapes. The media I use to do this uniquely combines opaque acrylic with transparent watercolor to create a mosaic quality in my art.
I’m proud that my “look” and style of art is recognizable to so many. People have become collectors of my work.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Artistically, finding rhythm in the landscape has become an essential quality and 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.
Personally, being curious about my surroundings and interested in people has been essential to my success. You have to put yourself out there to engage with people and sell your work to get noticed.
Pricing:
- My originals are priced from $600 – $3900 depending on the size.
- After the originals are sold, I sell high-quality reproductions ranging in price from $60 – $300 which makes my art more accessible to the public.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.danwiemer.com
