Art Chowder July | August 2022 Issue No. 40 | Page 56

The only thing that I loved dearly while in school was ART … art is not just paintings or sculptures ; it ’ s what you put your love , your heart and soul into . Let ’ s put art and music back in schools .”
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By the 1990s Dan had built a solid following in the Seattle art community and decided to try his hand at the Santa Fe , New Mexico art scene . He loaded up two trucks with art , made the 1,450 mile journey , and to his dismay was told to “ Go back to Seattle where he belonged .” After returning to Western Washington he searched for new studio space and found an abandoned , rundown shop which has since become home to the Recycled Spirits of Iron Sculpture Park . It took a number of years to clear and clean the property , remodel the shop , and create the magic that now stirs childlike wonder and excitement in visitors of all ages .
Dan now spends his winters in Quartzsite , Arizona and his summers snuggled among the cedars at his sculpture garden near the base of Mount Rainier . While he is away the new resident artist , Jay Bechtold , continues to add to the joy of the sculpture park by creating works of art in a similar style . Dan currently dreams of building a similar sculpture garden in the desert saying , “ I really love the rust down here in Arizona . It ’ s a coppertone patina and my sculptures would look great against the desert landscape .”
When he is in his creative trance , Dan leaves the planet and emotions come on like gangbusters . He cries , laughs and his body tingles all over ! Amazingly , Dan has found a way to infuse this unadulterated passion into rusty pieces of iron , bone and driftwood , turning junk into something truly awe inspiring . You can sense the spirit of the man within each of his sculptures .
With a passion for keeping art in schools , Dan says “ Children start out with great imaginations and use their brain . At the same time they build self-esteem , self-love , and respect for everything in life . The only thing that I loved dearly while in school was ART … art is not just paintings or sculptures ; it ’ s what you put your love , your heart and soul into . Let ’ s put art and music back in schools .”
In addition to the sculpture park which sits between Elbe and Ashford at the base of Mount Rainier , you can find Dan ’ s sculptures on public display in several Northwest cities . Puyallup is home to two sculptures and Wenatchee and Port Angeles each have public displays . Preston , Washington is proud to display a horse titled “ Bloodline ” made entirely of horse shoes , and in downtown Longview , Washington a hound dog sculpture is on display .