Daniel Reilly Moynihan

We are so sorry for your loss. Dan was a fine man. Our deepest sympathy. Kathy and Jim Cyrier.

Sad news. Dan´s life was a blessing to so many people. He brought such life, light, creativity and humor to those around him.

I have fond memories of Dan growing up skateboarding in North Andover. He was such a kind spirit. My condolences, Jim Belisle and family.

Dan Moynihan was my gentle breeze.

Dan Moynihan was a prolific, dynamic artist whose work spanned various mediums yet always retained his trademark style.  His joy of creating was self-evident based on his output; dozens of zines, watercolors, monoprints, silkscreens, flash animations, comic books, children's book, webcomics and more. He worked following many traditions; one can see Dan's work and make a line or comparison to the likes of Paul Klee and Ed Emberly.  Dan's world of art was as wholesome as a Norman Rockwell illustration, but it was also as hip as an early nineties indie rock band. 

His work was simultaneously sophisticated and accessible.  His figures and characters were easily deconstructed into shapes when looked at critically, which inspired his fans to draw themselves.   His was the genius of drawing itself; from shapes, colors and lines come universes.  
Dan Moynihan was like if Fred Rogers skateboarded and skateboarded well.  His style and approach to skateboarding was like his drawings; joyful, expressive, explorative, engaged, imaginative but above else ... and I repeat, joyful.  That is the one word that described Dan more than anything of which I will keep with me always; joy. 
 
I first got in contact with Dan Moynihan in 1998 when I was perhaps a freshman in high school.  I had an interest in comic books, and I was very excited about zines because they felt accessible and something within my grasp as a young artist to produce.  I too wanted to make small print run photocopied stories to trade in the mail with other enthusiasts around the world.  I went to the Million Year Picnic in Cambridge one weekend and picked up a copy of "Zine World", a directory of zine titles with quick synopsis as to their content.  When I read that the directory's cover was illustrated by none other than Dan Moynihan of Andover, Massachusetts. I emailed him directly thrilled to learn there was another zinester on the north shore I could potentially trade my comics with.  

This began a friendship through comics and zines that lasted decades.  In recent years, I hadn't been in close contact with Dan, but about a month ago when he posted that he was trying to get rid of some of his "You're Not Too Old" skateboards on Instagram, I commented that I wanted one, telling him I'd love to swing by the next time I was in Jamaica Plain.  I must say, I regret taking him for granted and I'd have loved to have gotten one more skate or drawing session in with him.  

With Dan's loss, I carry something bigger than grief; I carry a responsibility to live out his legacy.  Dan was a mountain of modesty.  He was never pretentious or self aggrandizing.  Learning, artmaking, "the doing in life" as David Lynch once said, was a joy ... a breeze. 
 I wish to be the gentle breeze that Dan was for me, a model and a mentor of how even through pointless cosmic confusion and pain, the day is a blessing, and the worst thing about life is there just isn't enough hours in the day to memorize all the skateboard tricks, to draw all the imaginative images in my head and in the world in front of me, there aren't enough conventions in fun college towns, there aren't enough learning centers to find fellow artists to watercolor with and that life isn't something to dread, but to enjoy.  Dan, I promise to find joy every day, even in the face of reaction, set back, tragedy or any counterpoint to the contrary.   

Jack Turnbull
Jan. 1st, 2026