Dan Attoe (b. Bremerton, Washington) is most known for his paintings of natural scenes imbued with an astute attention to detail and a masterful application of paint. Attoe’s use of oil, gesso, and varnish echoes the techniques of the Old Masters, yet these paintings are decidedly contemporary. The majestic outdoors and her corresponding natural wonders render the humans who occupy the landscapes minute. Human presence does not impose itself so much as become just a small microcosm within the painting, whether bathing in a cenote, skinny dipping at the base of a mountain, or driving off of an awe-inspiring waterfall edge.  In these works, Attoe often inscribes witticisms sourced from his own writing and keen observations of American culture.

Attoe received a BFA in Painting & Sculpture from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1998 and an MFA in painting from the University of Iowa in 2004. Recent solo exhibitions of Attoe's work include Dead of Winter I & II at The Hole in New York and Los Angeles (2022, 2023) and Pandemic Paintings at Western Exhibitions (2021). Selected group exhibitions include Dan Attoe & Anthony Miler: Chasing Light, Andrew Reed Gallery, Miami (2023); American Genre: Contemporary Painting, The Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art, Portland, ME, curated by Michelle Grabner (2017); EXPO 1, MOMA PS1, Long Island City, NY (2013); The System of Objects, DESTE Foundation for Contemporary Art, Athens, GR (2013); and Secret Societies, Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt, Germany (2011). Attoe’s work resides in the collections of the Portland Art Museum, the Hall Art Foundation, Saatchi Gallery, and the Zabludowicz Collection, amongst numerous others.