ArtReach Events Calendar

Serbian-born artist Dan Petrov spent his university summers in Northern Italy, where he immersed himself in the painting techniques of both Renaissance and contemporary masters. After completing his studies, he expanded his skills across Europe, copying Old Master works in France, England, and Holland. Petrov's technique combines indirect and direct painting methods, resulting in works that span still life, landscape, portrait, and figure genres. In 1992, Petrov moved to Canada, where he studied with Sergio DePaoli, developing an approach deeply rooted in the Renaissance and Flemish oil painting techniques. In 2006, Petrov relocated to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and joined Richard Lack’s Atelier comprehensive studio art program. Today, he teaches Renaissance and Flemish oil painting techniques as well as the Alla Prima method, offering courses and workshops for students at all levels at his Lakeville, Minnesota, studio, where he continues to paint and pursue his artistic vision.

He describes his art as a journey that merges exploration, technical skill, and introspection. "Painting engages me in three directions: into the world, into the process, and into introspection," he says, emphasizing the importance of technical skill as essential for visual expression. Realism, he believes, is the most effective way to communicate ideas with clarity and respect for the viewer. His daughter Mia, when asked about her father’s work as a five-year-old, explained: "My dad paints things that look like things and people that look like people."

Petrov’s still life paintings, he says, go beyond mere representation of objects; they reflect humanity’s connection to nature and elevate the everyday to a higher realm of beauty. His portraits and figure paintings explore themes of individuality, impermanence, and the deeper emotions of grief, uncertainty, and resilience, finding optimism beyond fleeting happiness and instead grounded in meaning.

Meet Dan at the artist reception on Thursday, November 21 at 6:30 PM. Light refreshments will be served. Dan's works are viewable in the gallery on the upper level during library hours in November and December.