MY STORY & INSPIRATION

Dan Withrow is a semi-abstract watercolorist who has found the perfect medium to unite his lifelong love for nature with a profound, personal neurological trait: synesthesia.

For Dan, colors are not just pigments; they are living entities. Since childhood, he has perceived colors as humans with distinct personalities. His paintings serve as an "expressive dialogue" between his emotional response to the natural world—inspired by the prairies of the Midwest and the mountains of Pennsylvania—and this internal cast of characters. He creates within "Dan Withrow Studio," a space dedicated to his passion.

The Foundation of His Work: Color Personalities

Each piece begins by selecting a dominant color that embodies the scene's emotional core. The interactions between these "characters" on the paper—such as the stoic "Blue" reflecting the commitment of trees, or the conflict between "adventurous Purple" and "matriarchal Yellow"—echo the inherent tensions of the wild.

Examples of his color "cast":

• Blue: Selfless, stoic, proud man.

• Green: Tough, caring young woman.

• Red: No-nonsense, pushing the norm 18-year-old girl.

• Purple: Adventurous, carefree young man.

• Yellow: Soft, matriarchal, caring middle-aged woman.

The Process: A Dance with the Untamed

Dan respects the unpredictability of watercolor. He calls the water his "co-artist," engaging in a "dance of guidance and surrender." Just like nature itself, the water cannot be fully tamed. He works with its inherent fluidity, this acceptance of the untamed process, allowing pigment to flow and bloom freely, results in passionate, fluid, semi-abstract works that capture a raw, emotional reality of nature.

His unique vision, defines his highly personal and expressive art.