Dan was raised in Minneapolis, MN, where from an early age he was provided with the necessary support and opportunities he would need to develop his skills as an artist. At the age of eleven, he was enrolled in an art edjucation course and he continued to draw and paint with watercolors throughtout his Jr. High and High School years. After serving a mission for the LDS Church, he accepted scholarships to study Fine Art at Dixie College under Del Parson with a focus primarily on portraiture and the human figure. He then accepted scholarships to study illustration under Perry Stewart at Southern Utah University. Since that time, he has completed illustrations for Ensign, Liahona, New Era, The Friend, Sings of the Times, and Listen Magazines. He had work included in "The Old Testament for LDS Families", (published by Deseret Book) as wel as "Teaching's of the Prophets: Joseph Smith" and had a painting on display in the Washington DC Temple's Visitor Center as part of a collection gathered to commemorate Black History Month in February 2006.