Sometimes this art-filled park is referred to as Ex-Nihilo ( pronounced X-Ne-High-Low ), which is Latin for “ Something made out of nothing .” Given Dan ’ s start in life , it ’ s the perfect name . The son of a garbage truck driver , some of Dan ’ s earliest memories growing up in small-town-Minnesota are of his father coming home for lunch , with toys hanging from his truck that he had found amongst the discarded items . When the family moved to Seattle , Dan found himself a little red wagon with which to cruise the neighborhood early on pickup days , in an attempt to beat the garbage man to all the treasures left out on the curb .
Art also became a passion of Dan ’ s at an early age . He credits Friday art classes as not only the reason he stayed in school but also as the driving force and saving grace of his youth . After graduating Dan went to work as a mechanic ; he fell in love with the look of worn-out sprockets and gears . Recovering treasure in scrap iron barrels , Dan soon began using a $ 50 Montgomery Ward welder to combine his love of both salvage and art .
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