For over 30 years Mackin has captured his memories on canvas of exotic trips to the Caribbean, the Bahamas, the South Pacific, Asia and the rainforests of South America. Dan began sketching and painting tropical islands and marine life in 1971 when his camera fell overboard during a sailboat trip. Having just returned from Vietnam, Mackin and a friend took off from Newport beach, Calif., and headed south. They ended up in Central America. "We bought this 24 foot sailboat together and left with $235 between us," says Dan. "We had a bunch of food but no engine, no life raft, no radio and no navigation lights. We did it by the seat of our pants".
Dan Mackin kept a journal of the day’s events and recorded what they saw with his illustrations. Having also been a tour guide along the Amazon River, Dan became well acquainted with the fauna and flora of the tropical rainforest. All of these experiences, along with his love for diving ,sailing and surfing, have fueled his personal commitment to capture the peace, tranquility and color of the tropics and give the viewer the feeling that you are “actually there”.
Throughout the 70’s and 80’s, Dan Mackin supported himself with a variety of mini-careers after earning his Master’s in education, all the while honing his skills as an artist. In 1992 he began devoting his full attention to painting, and since then has commanded $4,000 to $18,000 per original, as well as releasing limited editions, lithographs, posters and giclee print editions.
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