Dan Larsen

Dan Larsen, the creator of Larsen’s Snowpeople™ , and son of famed Political Cartoonist Chick Larsen, grew up in the 1950’s and 60’s in eastern Henrico County, Virginia. A native of Newport News, Virginia, Larsen developed an interest in drawing, as well as visual art humor, while growing up around his dad’s cartooning. Larsen produced his first piece of fine art in 1960 at the age of eleven, entitled “Scarecrow”, which was a two color wood block print. While twenty copies were produced, only one survives, which hangs in Larsen’s studio and gallery. No stranger to the plight of “starving artists”, Larsen became a criminal justice professional after graduating from the Virginia Commonwealth University in 1972 with a B.S. degree, majoring in Psychology. Thirty years later, Larsen retired from the Virginia Department of Corrections as the Warden of a 1,200 bed state prison located in southside Virginia.

Prior to retiring from running prisons, Larsen re-discovered his passion for painting in an odd way. While helping to tidy up his dad’s art studio in 1991 shortly after Chick Larsen’s death, Larsen found some of the same watercolor painting materials, which he had seen his father use in the 1950’s. Larsen decided to try his hand at watercolor painting, rather than throw the materials away. Totally self- taught, Larsen produced his first watercolor image reproduction in 1998, with help from the Virginia Engraving Company. The scene entitled “Winter on Oak Hill” was taken from a rural section of Eastern Henrico County, near the Oak Hill subdivision, where Larsen spent many wintry days, as a boy sledding down snow covered hills. Since then, Larsen produced many watercolor reproductions including beautiful seascapes, landscapes and florals.

In August of 2005, Dan Larsen unexpectedly passed away in his home in Virginia. Carl Daniel Larsen was an artist of extraordinary talent and insight who brought his dreams to life in his watercolors and sketches. Whether it was snowmen or beautiful landscapes, river scenes or wildlife, Dan's ability to display his heart and soul in his work was unmistakable.

"I will always feel blessed that I had the opportunity to work with Dan on the SnowPeople series" commented author Francis Wood. "...and I will miss his humor and enthusiasm. Dan was a wonderfully unique artist whose work will live on. Our SnowPeople series was his dream come true."

Dan is deeply loved and missed by his family, friends, colleagues, and customers. This gallery is dedicated to his memory to ensure that his dream will live on forever.