With a command of techniques rivaled only by his diverse interests, Dan Chudzinski’s quest to improve his artistic skillset has led to a host of unusual adventures. Throughout various chapters of his life, he has worked as a zoo taxidermist, apprenticed under master marble carvers in the mountains of Northern Italy, made functional artillery pieces for film and television, and created totem poles with Tlingit master carvers in Alaska.

Born and raised in Fremont, OH, Dan received a B.F.A. in Sculpture and a B.A. in History from Miami University. He received an M.F.A. in Three Dimensional studies from Bowling Green State University. Dan is the Director of Curation and Exhibitions at the Mazza Museum of International Art from Picture Books (University of Findlay), which houses the world’s first and largest collection of original illustrations from picture books. The museum serves as host to the annual Enchanted Brush Exhibition, a free event that Dan founded and curates to showcase the works of his friends in the Imaginative Realism genre.

Recently, Dan’s sculpture, The Great Owl, was awarded a Grand Prize in the Infected By Art competition. The same piece also received the Gold Medal in the sculpture category. An image of his piece, Evasive Species, will be placed in a time capsule on the South Pole of the moon later this year.

His artistic adventures can be followed at “Dan Chudzinski Studio” on Instagram