PAINT JAM
 

Amazing Opportunities: MLK Speed Painting

Posted on Jan 22nd, 2015

As a speed painter I get amazing opportunities to perform all over the world for some pretty amazing reasons. With the Release of “Selma” by Oprah Winfrey and all of the problems in the world this year, I can’t help but think back to my childhood and how the assassination of a preacher dedicated to civil rights rocked the world.

So it was an honor to be invited to perform for Good Day New York on Martin Luther King Day. It came in very last minute, (welcome to show biz!) and since we had been on the show 5 years ago, we jumped at the opportunity to do an MLK speed painting.

We packed our gear, got up at 3:00 am, flew to New York, performed the next morning and stretched canvas in the green room.We set up our backdrop, suited up and went to work. The applause and comments from the cast and crew let me know how the rest of New York would react.

I love painting Dr King and don’t get asked often enough.

I originally developed the piece for a Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro NC, and the painting created there was auctioned off and then presented to Martin Luther King III. Amazing!

The arts are colorblind, gender blind and economically blind. Some of the best artists and musicians in the world come from the most diverse backgrounds one can imagine. Artists respect each other on a deep level – it is at our very core.

Why the rest of the world doesn’t work the same way has always been a mystery to me. When I was a child I took to heart the simple song I learned in church. “Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight.”

Until we learn to see people instead of color, occupation, level of income or religion or country we will continue in the mire of stupidity and backward thinking that keeps us continually at war and in a state of perpetual misery. Love is blind.

What an honor to paint Dr King on his day. He was the beginning of change, but as my friends of color remind me, much has changed, much has not.

This note was sent to us by email minutes after the show. I think it sums it up beautifully.

From Precious Durant:

I absolutely needed to tell the artist who was just on Good Day N.Y, that it touched my heart to see him paint MLK.

I got so emotional that I cried and had to contact you.

I Have never seen anything like that. omg I’m in love with you!

And that’s what it’s all about. Love is all you need.

"I’ve never seen a performance quite like yours before. Your energy was a perfect match for the mood of the evening and I loved how you surprised us all. I had no idea what to expect…Together we raised more than $2 million dollars in donations..." Sir Richard Branson
"This guy is amazing. Speaking of talented guys we have Dan Dunn… He might be insane. It will blow your mind, the guy is fantastic." Jimmy Fallon
"Our thanks to painter Dan Dunn and his extraordinary portrait of todays starting quarterbacks." Jim Brown, Super Bowl XLIV
"You were a huge hit! I am always looking for a dramatic and powerful way to kick off our meetings. Not only did you WOW the audience but you set the right stage and tone for the remainder of our meeting. People are still talking about your performance! Your tribute to our founder was incredibly well done and very moving. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the place." Roger McClung Manager, Training & Development Savers Inc.
"What a pleasure it was to have you as part of our annual convention in New Orleans! Your presentation got everyone jazzed up for the conference and was a wonderful way to begin a very exciting conference! Everyone in attendance thoroughly enjoyed your presentation and we were honored to have you…" Deborah Reeve Executive Director National Art Education Association