Dan has described himself as an artist trapped in a deputy sheriff's body, as described in a 2012 Press-Enterprise article entitled, "Sheriff's Deputy Doubles as Artist." While he prides himself on the work he does for his community in uniform, his true love is, has always been, and will always be, creating art. He has been creating artwork in one medium or another since he can remember, literally since the age of 4. He looks forward to a day in the very near future when the artist in him can break free at last so as to devote his full time to his passion, which, of course, is art.Dan is a self-taught artist in every sense of the term. His keen, inborn ability was recognized very early on during his school career. Every instructor he had recognized his natural abilities and would challenge Dan to try many different mediums, including acrylic painting, water color, pen and ink, pencil renderings, and stained glass. There was no challenge too great. Finally, his instructors had to admit that there was nothing they could teach him. It was as if he was just born with a natural understanding of how the paint works to perfectly blend colors and create shading surpassing anything they had ever seen.
Dan has mastered the ability to create digital art on an iPad using his finger in place of a brush, resulting in amazing custom portraits and other interesting subjects which he then converts to Giclee prints on canvas or paper. The true-to-life resemblance and attention to detail he brings to each piece will have you asking, How does he do that?
Dan has done many commissioned pieces throughout the years and has donated countless pieces of art to churches, college jazz band calendars, the Leukemia Foundation, and the Juvenile Diabetes Walk, to mention just a few.
Dan Bowden's passion for his art is stronger than ever before, and his commitment to his art has become the very definition of who he is. He describes it as the driving force which fuels his creativity to new levels each day.
Those who have seen his artwork often comment on the vivid detail, depth of color, and hidden gems to look for in each piece of art, as he incorporates the Dove of Peace in all of his work.
Upholding peace in his community as a deputy sheriff by day and creating unique images of peace for his community by night, Dan Bowden is a gift to us all to be appreciated for years to come. www.danbowdenfineart.com
Will you go home with Dan's artwork at this year's Red Dot Auction? Get your tickets at ChuckJonesCenter.org/RedDot. Pre-bidding is live at HA.com/759.
