Artist Daniel Lawrence Fuller

French Quarter Artist Daniel Lawrence Fuller died in his New Orleans residence on August 13th, 2015, in his 85th year. Dan was born on April 11, 1931, in Sunbury, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Fred and Martha Fuller, and the youngest brother of Mary, Louise, Gordon, and Edith. Dan was 7 when his father died, and he was shortly sent to military boarding school, where he developed the fortitude that was to sustain him all his life. At about the same time, Dan began to draw and knew immediately that he wanted to become an artist one day. Dan graduated from Williamsport High School, and married Theresa Fortney (Ostrander) of Williamsport. Dan and Theresa had four children, Mary Lynne Fuller Wolfe, Marc, Michael, and Lisa. In 1955 he moved to Rochester, New York, after being hired as a display director for a chain of department stores. He held a number of display jobs that increased his ability to think and create conceptually. He also started a number of small businesses, including a home decor store, a beatnik-style coffee shop, and his first studio. Dan was a member of the Rochester Art Club, and was regularly entering and winning plein air competitions. A self-taught artist, Dan began the serious pursuit of figural studies, including portraits and nudes. In 1969, Dan and Theresa separated, and in 1970 Dan moved to New Orleans after hearing about the amazing art scene there. He secured a French Quarter apartment, a display, and began pushing a cart to Jackson Square every morning where he became a popular pastel portrait artist. This routine became the subject of a later work, "The Art of Survival." Dan was a member of the New Orleans Arts Council, and in the 1970's represented the city at a conference in Mexico. In 1973, Dan did a pen and ink study of an imagined "fisherman's treehouse." The piece received so much attention for its originality that Dan rapidly began to expand the series. Although he completed many other works throughout his lifetime, "Treehouse" became the object of biographical remembrance, social commentary, and whimsical imaginings. When the Degas House opened to the public, Dan was selected to be the first "Artist in Residence". At one point, Mr. John Bullard, Director of the New Orleans Museum of Art, described Dan's Treehouse series as, "An impressive body of work; evocative, amusing, and painted at the highest level of professionalism." He was later a member of the Dutch Alley Artist Co-Op Gallery in the French Quarter. He was additionally chosen to be a contributing artist in a Synovate venture on New Orleans, for which he completed the "Treehouse Named Desire." For about 10 years, and most recently, his creative space was located in Mid-City Studios Dan was a consummate gentleman who, in spite of having seen the worst of people, always believed the best of them. For example, as the nation reeled from reports of conditions in the Super Dome during Hurricane Katrina, Dan—who took shelter there—told nothing but stories about how kind and considerate people were to each other inside. He took people at their word, tried not to be too disappointed when they failed him, and had great plans for all the wonderful things he would do for his family and friends when his work achieved financial success. At the time of his death, Dan had just completed the manuscript of a book on his Treehouse series. A 5-year endeavor, the book tells Dan's stories in relation to his work. Plans are being made to complete the book, as he wished. Details of its publication will be posted on his Facebook page and website in the near future. His works continue to be available through his website, www.treehouseneworleans.com Anyone who was with Dan for more than a few minutes was treated to a story. He had a true gift for entertaining others with reminiscences and tales of a life less ordinary. He had a great social conscience and wished for resources to fix the things that worried him, especially world population, world hunger, and the evolving environment. He loved to fish and camp and, in the early years, spent some wonderful hours chasing sunfish with his kids. Dan did things his way. He dreamt big dreams and devoted his life to the pursuit of them. He did not live with riches, but he lived richly. He leaves a legacy of fine art, corny jokes, and great stories. He was well loved. He was widely admired. He will be missed. He will be remembered.