Dan Pearce Art

Dan Pearce is fast becoming one of the UK’s most innovative and exciting mixed-media artists. His work can be found in some of the world’s most prestigious galleries including Art Basel Miami and Clarendon Fine Art.

He has been commissioned by some of the world’s best-known celebrities and professional athletes including Anthony Joshua and Wilfried Zaha, and he’s only just getting started.

“Art has a connection to people; it makes them feel an emotion,” says Dan. “I only have one objective as an artist: to try and engage the audience for a reaction, good or bad.

“But for me, it’s also fun. I love what I do, you can never take it too seriously – it’s not life or death.”

It’s that sense of fun, of provoking a reaction, of boundary-pushing exuberance, that sees Dan count many household names among his clientele, including Idris Elba, Boy George, Rag ‘n’ Bone Man and Lewis Capaldi.

And the word is spreading across the Atlantic. Rapper 50 Cent was a recent commission and Dan’s portrait of Sharon Osbourne – a riot of spray paint, ink, gold leaf and Swarvoski crystals out of which Mrs O emerges in profile, wearing a crown and looking uncannily similar to the British Queen – became a viral sensation earlier this summer, racking up over 330,000 views on Osbourne’s Instagram page.

Earlier this year, SWM caught up with Dan for an exclusive Q&A to discover more about his work and plans for the future.

Your work takes on many styles and materials. How would you describe your art to someone seeing it for the first time?

“I would describe my work as a cocktail of mixed mediums. It is an experimentation of mixing digital art with spray paint, screen printing, handcut stencils, paper collages, 3D objects and a large portion of bright vivid colours. I aim to ‘reveal the unexpected, by creating tactical artworks that can be admired from a distance or up close in minute detail.”

Your work is exhibited throughout the UK and incorporates several different mediums and styles. Do you have a favourite?

“Being an artist I embrace all mediums. I love learning new ones and continue to research and try to find new styles. Some artists stick to one style throughout their career which is great but for me, I’ve got to keep moving forward and experimenting – I like to push the boundaries and challenge myself. At the moment, I am enjoying working with new technologies like 3D printing.”

How much of what you do is commission-based now?

“Most of my artwork is commissions. I was painting a lot of celebrities and sports personalities in various styles using mixed media like neon, spray paint, resin and print processes like lenticular which started to get a lot of interest. When a client approaches me to do a commission I can adapt a particular style and materials to reflect their brief  and bring out their personality.”

What’s next for Dan Pearce?

“I am preparing for my next exhibition in my home town of Liverpool with Clarendon Fine Art Gallery which is great as all my family and friends can attend. I am also preparing some artwork for Art Basel which I’m buzzing about. Art Basel Miami is the hottest art gathering and one of the most famous and prestigious art fairs in the world so I am super excited about exhibiting my artwork there.”

To discuss your commission idea with Dan, contact your SWM client liaison for a direct introduction.