Dan Simoneau was born and raised in Lewiston, Maine, where he began formal art classes at 11 and at 13 joined the Androscoggin Valley Art Association as its youngest member ever. By the time Dan was a sophomore in high school, he was exhibiting, winning awards, and selling his paintings in local summer art festivals. In 1980, Dan began studies at the University of Southern Maine. There, he was influenced by artists such as Caravaggio, Chuck Close, Richard Estes, and Philip Pearlstein. Of these artists, the influence of Caravaggio, Close and Pearlstein are still evident. Dan graduated in 1984 with high honors and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. His majors were painting, pottery, and printmaking; his minor, art history.
Dan has continued exhibiting his work nationally and internationally, winning many awards. His paintings have been published in many national and international publications such as Fine Art Connoisseur and the North Light Books series AcrylicWorks and Splash. He is a Signature Master member and the former President of the International Society of Acrylic Painters (disbanded in 2020). He is also a Signature Member of the American Watercolor Society, the International Society of Experimental Artists, the National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society, the National Society of Painters in Casein and Acrylic, and the National Watercolor Society. He is a Fellow in the American Artists Professional League and recognized as an ARC Living Artist within the Art Renewal Center, an International organization focused on traditional realism. He has also been recognized for his achievements by being listed in Marquis Who’s Who in American Art since 2005.
Dan’s primary subject is light as it falls on objects. The object he uses most to represent light is the male figure. He prefers the male figure due to its musculature and sculptural qualities with its just under the surface tension and strength. Because no person looks like any other person, the multitude of expressions and body positions provides an infinite source of subject matter and inspiration.
Learn more about Dan and see more of his artwork at www.dsimoneau.com.
* This statement has been provided directly by the artist in association to their 16th International ARC Salon entries. This content has not been edited for typos or grammatical errors and has not been vetted for accuracy.
