Comments on: Interview with Dan Gustin

By: Joshua Goodman

Joshua Goodman — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 06:42:44 +0000

I studied with Wilbur along Dan at KCAI. Wilbur was a life changing teacher and Dan was the best if the best student!

By: Julian E Williams Jr.

Julian E Williams Jr. — Sun, 08 Oct 2023 06:55:07 +0000

I studied with Dan in the 1990’s at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Best painting and drawing teacher I’ve ever had. Incredibly direct and honest. Makes one think a lot. I still use some of his teachings in my work today. Thoroughly like and respect his work and his work as a teacher.

By: Noel Robbins

Noel Robbins — Thu, 30 Dec 2021 13:26:27 +0000

I studied with Dan in the mid-nineties as a graduate student at SAIC. Through our discussions about Morandi and Matisse he helped me understand that paintings are in a way artifacts of your daily routine. He had me count the number of colors in the Matisse’s in the museum, and we laughed about how Morandi lived with his mother and spent his evenings. So much serious mythology surrounding simple people who loved to paint. Keep it simple and be happy. That’s what I took away from my meetings with Dan. He will always be one of my favorite teachers.

By: Lennie Mullaney

Lennie Mullaney — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 19:33:58 +0000

In the summer of 2009, I spent six weeks at the International School of Art studying painting with Dan Gustin. He was an incredibly direct teacher, articulate with a minimum of words, supportive without the sugar coating. I asked him: “Teach me what are the rules of painting?” Dan replied,” There are no rules. You must first learn how to see.”
Lennie Mullaney
Portsmouth NH

By: Derek Buckner

Derek Buckner — Mon, 19 Oct 2020 22:00:13 +0000

Fantastic and insightful interview. I studied with Dan at the Art institute of Chicago and he was one of the best teachers I’ve ever had.

By: Charles Steckler

Charles Steckler — Sat, 13 Jun 2020 16:11:59 +0000

What a splendid interview!!! Dan’s humanity and humility come clearly through in his responses to probing questions. I am now as fond of his thinking as I have been of his painting. Superb!

By: Matthew Lopas

Matthew Lopas — Tue, 01 May 2018 21:18:16 +0000

Great interview. I studied with Dan many years ago. He is a great teacher. His Ideas still resonate with me today. His values – deep engagement in the process, humility before the work and nature, constant learning, comparing your own paintings to the best work out there, and teaching students to ask their own questions.

By: Gillian Wainwright

Gillian Wainwright — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 17:50:30 +0000

Massive love for this incredible man – a brilliant painter and a truly gifted teacher. I know first hand that he has changed the way a great many people think about painting.

By: Neil Goodman

Neil Goodman — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 16:40:53 +0000

Wonderful interview! Really amazing artist and very insightful on all levels!

By: James Celano

James Celano — Tue, 24 Apr 2018 15:49:35 +0000

I never heard of this guy, so thanks for the introduction to his work. I think he undersells his work. Not crazy about the narratives, but he captures the light in those landscapes effectively without the garish use of color so prevalent in a lot of landscape painting today. I think he’s a better painter than he gives himself credit for, and his comments about Cezanne are spot on. People often say Cezanne deliberately distorted this or that, deliberately tilted the table top, but I agree with Mr. Gustin. Cezanne did those things intuitively. If he didn’t, his work would come off as mannered. So Mr. Gustin is a perceptive painter on that level as well.