Greetings!
My name is Dan, and I am a multi-disciplinary artist and musician from the Midwest U.S. I have been writing and recording music since 2006, releasing 3 albums independently, and also a worship EP in 2018.
In 2020, I also began to share some artwork that was previously hidden inside my sketchbooks. I fell in love with the artistic mediums of ink and watercolor, and found physical art served as an important mode of expression for me. My latest project, entitled "Sleep Well", includes a few original songs and paintings and released in 2023.
In the life outside of these projects over the last 15 years, I've had the privilege of marrying my wife, welcoming 5 children to the world, and often serving as a worship leader in the local church. In my spare time you'll find me reading, writing, hiking, baking, and playing the occasional video game.
My hope is to serve the community around me well, with both music and art.
Some Other FAQs
Why music and art?
The simple answer is that I couldn't pick one over the other. They are both an integral part of who I am and how I experience the world. When I write music I see pictures, and when I draw pictures I hear music. For me at least, the two are entangled too closely to separate completely. The arts are a unique form of communication, because they simultaneously allow the artist to express themselves, and the recipient to share in that expression. It's not just a one way street. It's not as simple as a giver and recipient. The best paintings allow us to see ourselves within them, and the best songs make us want to sing along. Just like songs and sketches are connected together for me, they also require connection to a community. Community is the context in which we make sense of the world, so art can't be separated from community and still continue to serve its purpose. Social media likes to try to stand in for community, and it CAN serve a role in connecting people (at its best). However, I've found direct connection with people to be far more fulfilling when it comes to the distribution of my art. Singing with people in a room. Hearing a message that a song I wrote was encouraging in a tough season. Seeing someone unexpectedly tear up, when presented with a watercolor portrait of the home they raised their family in. I'm particularly thankful for two communities that have formed around my work. The first is the list of people I email on a semi-regular basis with updates on new paintings, songs, and other life updates. I'll regularly hear back from many of them with some words of encouragement and it's so life giving for me in the middle of creating things. Things that are often unseen in their various stages of being formed. You can join that email list here. It's open to every one (except the robots). Sorry robots. The second community is the folks that have stepped into financially supporting my work. Patreon is probably the easiest way to do this on a regular basis, and it offers a way to see and hear the music and art taking shape, for about $5-10 a month. These folks are helping me raise the funds necessary to get my music produced and distributed to the world! I'm so thankful for them!
What kind of music do you make?
We all have at least one memory connected with a song. I can hear one song and be instantly transported to the day I walked down the aisle with my wife. I can hear another and be graveside saying goodbye to loved ones. Somehow, music has a way of weaving itself through every season of life, accompanying us through the highs and lows. Through my own mountains and valleys, I have been attended by a variety of genres, but have always been attracted to the songs that say something true. If there was a genre called “honest songs”, I would be its biggest fan, and hope to find my own music there as well. I would say that most often, I write songs and stories about the human heart, the love of God, and the beautifully common things in between. I have been influenced by the music of Jon Foreman, Matt Thiessen, Mat Kearney, and Andrew Peterson, among others, all of whom defy genre boundaries in some way.
Do you ever play live?
YES! Though I'm not regularly touring, I will be scheduling live performances and have all the equipment necessary to make that happen wherever people want to gather. My favorite place to do this is in a home or church, and all I need is an invitation! You can reach out to me at dan@danmorsemusic.com if you've got a location or date in mind!
Do you take commissions?
I do! Most of my portrait commissions are home portraits, that you can find more info on here. However, I've also done ink portraits of people and pets, and a wide variety of graphic design projects for various individuals and small businesses. Feel free to reach out with any questions of project ideas!
Have more questions?
Email me at dan@danmorsemusic.com.