By permission of the artist, The Cyber Art Show is pleased to feature the second of two 12-piece exhibitions of works by American landscape painter Dan Woodson (born 1945 in New Castle, Indiana).

Dan attended school in Muncie, Indiana, where he currently resides.

In 1962 he enlisted in the U.S. military. Returning home in 1967, he began a 33-year career in the sign industry. He also became a master sign painter, winning a national design competition in 1998. In January, 2001, he left his 18-year position as manager of Marsh Sign Department to work as a full-time artist.

Throughout years of providing for his family, Dan's real desire was to be an artist. Occasionally he would haul out his paints and brushes and try to copy paintings he admired. Works by T.C. Steele, J.O. Adams and others were studied, attempted, and then, in frustration, his paints were put away again. Dan is color-blind, which makes his journey more astounding and nearly unbelievable. He cannot distinguish orange from yellow ochre, cannot see reds and greens, also cannot determine warm and cool colors, all of which are extremely important in landscape painting. These are just some of the obstacles he would overcome.

During 1993, Dan committed himself to landscape painting. Practicing after work, he continued to study the paintings of other artists, worked to understand their methods, and painted scene after scene in oil. This time he progressed quickly, drawing on the skills and discipline he had acquired through years as a sign artist.

Dan's formidable talent has made up for his lack of formal training and allowed him to develop, at his own pace, a truly original style. His color-blindness has become an asset that allows him to interpret minute tonal differences in landscape scenes that others, influenced by color, might overlook. Dan's overwhelming desire to paint has turned his weakness into strengths.

With no formal training in fine art, Dan has accomplished phenomenal success with his paintings. Since first competing in 1993, he has received more than 150 merit, purchase, regional and national awards. These include:

-Top 200 of 1,715 entries, National Arts for the Parks, Jackson, Hole, WY, 1999. Two of Dan's paintings made it into the top 200 in the same year.

-First Place nine times and four People's Choice Awards, T.C. Steele Outdoor Competition, 1996-2014 Nashville, IN

-Two straight Best of Show Awards, Indiana heritage Arts, Nashville, IN 2000-2001.

-Best Impressionist Oil, 1998/Outstanding Indiana Landscape, Hoosier Salon, Indianapolis, IN, 1999.

-Best of Show, Richmond Art Museum, 2013.

-Best of Show, Indiana Artists Club, 2011-2014.

In 2001, Dan spent 3 months traveling, researching and painting in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

Despite all the accolades, Dan remains humble, his love of painting a reflection of his life. "I would paint even if I never won an award or sold a painting," he says. "The process of trying to do better, knowing I will never reach the level I want to achieve but always working toward perfection, gives me deep satisfaction. Success is not what you gain as a result, but knowing in your heart that you did your best, regardless of the results."