Dan Mieduch
Dan Mieduch was drawing by the age of seven. During high school, he took evening art classes and began working in both oils and watercolors. Dan’s family owned a tavern and motel in Clinton, Michigan. His father’s bar was Dan’s first “gallery” where he presented and sold his wildlife paintings to patrons for $40 apiece.
This farming community gave Dan a deep appreciation of the beauty of the land, the light of early mornings and the deep hues of summer sunsets.
Mieduch earned a B.S. Degree in Industrial Design from the University of Michigan in 1969 and then served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps for eighteen months as a command artist for the Southern Command in the Panama Canal Zone.
Dan completed several historical paintings for area museums while in Panama. Following his military career, Dan worked for several commercial art studios in Detroit where he met his wife, Rhonda. It was during this time that Dan learned the disciple needed to succeed in the art business.
In 1975, Dan decided to turn his attention to becoming a western fine art artist. He focused on what he perceived as a simpler time – the early 20th century American frontier. Dan and Rhonda felt that a move to Phoenix would better serve his artistic interests and the relocation to Arizona proved to be the start of a very successful career.
Source: Trailside Galleries
Artist: Dan Mieduch
Arizona Territory
Artist: Dan Mieduch
Description: Oil | Image Size: 28”h x 42”w; Framed Size: 42”h x 55”w
This large oil painting of a stage coach traveling across rough desert terrain with a blazing sun behind it is quintessential of Dan Mieduch’s style and technique. While his paintings are grounded in the history of the west and have a narrative appeal, Mieduch’s interest in creating a mood and a tone sets his work apart. In many of his masterworks, Mieduch employs brilliant sunsets or sunrises to bathe his scenes in glowing shades of reds, oranges, and pinks.
Here we see the stagecoach, its driver and shotgun rider, and the team of horses in silhouette form. Their dark shapes sharply contrast with the colors surrounding them. Working in more of a representational style than strict realism, Mieduch’s intent is to present the viewer with a feeling for the light and atmosphere of a fleeting moment. And though the horses and coach are obscured by the sunlight, Mieduch is able to convey a definite sense of speed and movement as the coach hurries along. It is truly a vibrant piece that captivates viewers.
