Dan Burr

About

I come from a family of artists, so I have always been exposed to the process of making art. I eventually went on to study art and illustration at Utah State University where I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree then, some years later, a Masters Degree from Syracuse University, both in Illustration. I find many of my subjects ( not including the Pirates) in the natural landscape of Idaho where my wife and I make our home. Making a painting for me is magical. Whether I'm painting a fisherman in his favorite stream or a small child reading about pirates digging for treasure, It's all about designing and communicating a good narrative. Painting is what I do; it comes as natural to me as walking. I am very grateful for the ability to paint and create images that mean something to the viewer. For most of my career I worked in oils on canvas or panels. However, like many artists, I began to explore digital art in 2002. Recognizing the value of the new medium as an illustrator, I started to use a digital painting process. These days I have found a way to achieve the same texture, realism, and attention to what appears to be detail that I could achieve with a brush on a traditional surface. Over my 33 year career as an illustrator, I've won a few awards and accolades in the publishing industry. I also taught illustration classes for 20+ years at BYUI. If I’m not working on a project or fishing, I can usually be found puttering around the house or in the boat shed working on one of the wooden drift boats that seem to always need attention.