Dan Mackin
“Everyone yearns to find their own peaceful paradise and escape the demands of today’s hectic world.My paintings offer viewers a window into that place embodying the harmony between people and nature.”
For over 40 years Mackin has captured his memories of life in the Caribbean, South Pacific, Asia and the rainforests of the Amazon River where he worked as a tour guide.
In 1969 he was deployed to the coast of North Vietnam on the Guided Missile Cruiser Long Beach, the worlds first nuclear powered surface ship and the first to shoot down enemy aircraft with a surface to air missile. After the 9 month tour, he returned and In 1971 received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy. He then moved to Newport Beach, California.
“My best friend, Jeff, and I left Newport Beach on a 24 foot sailboat with two surfboards, $240 between us, no motor, radio, navigation equipment or common sense and managed to sail over 2,000 miles to El Salvador that took over a year, where our money ran out. We sold the boat and got crewing jobs to Panama”.
After that, Mackin attended La Universidad De Las Americas, 70 miles southeast of Mexico City, where he earned a B.A. in Creative Writing and an M.A in Intercultural Education.
From 1976 to 1981 he taught at Cal State Fullerton while living on a 40 foot sailboat in Marina Del Rey and then, moved to San Francisco and worked in the advertising industry while living on a 44 foot sailboat at Pier 39, still painting in the evenings. In 1989 he finally pursued his true passion as a full time seascapepainter. In honor of his many surf contest posters, he was inducted into the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame 2002.
From 2003 to 2008 he painted 8 collaborations with Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, depicting his songs on canvas and in 2011 became a licensed Disney artist.
Today, he lives with his wife, Jeanne with their Irish Water Spaniel, Finnegan in the beautiful town of HobeSound, Florida.
