Dennis Lee Karchner (born 1952) is an American Western artist known for his realistic paintings and graphite renderings of Western characters and American historical figure and sports figures. Denny, as he prefers to be called, reflects his passion for pencil and paint began at an early, young age of 3-years-old when his mother would put pencil and paper in his hands during church services. He has been producing works of art ever since.
Biography
Born in Clearfield, Pennsylvania in 1952 he grew up drawing comics, animals, and other works of art for his family from the tiny closet in his room. He would sit with his pencil, paper and record player playing for hours to content himself. Art has always been his passion in life.
At the young age of 13, Denny began putting together commercial illustrations and advertising promotions for local in the town he grew up in, Woodland, Pennsylvania. His official art career begin with his local customers and soon grew to a passion to attend art school to learn and grow professionally in the commercial art sector. In 1970, Denny enrolled for Graphic Communications at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh where he attended from 1970-1972 and obtained his Associates Degree in Commercial Art/Graph Communications. The last nine months of college, Denny worked in the schools studio assisting with the setup and show for Andy Warhol's famous collection. Upon graduation, Denny was hired full-time with Kurtz Bros. who make school stationery and school supplies. In 1980. Denny decided to start and run his freelance graphics business full-time, Karchner Advertising. Eventually, Karchner Advertising branched out into another business enterprise that grew into a very successful screen print operation. Having learned screenprint design at the Art Institute, Denny honed his skills for graphic arts and sales into a full-time screenprint wearables business that served a long list of impressive clients from the New York garment district, major retailers such as JC Penney's, KMart, Lane Bryant, WalMart, and Sara Lee's Womens' Division.
In 1991, Denny was contracted with the Pennsylvania Game News Commission, a monthly hunting and news magazine for the outdoors and hunting enthusiast. His body of work there includes illustrations for stories written by on-staff writers. Denny's illustrations became a fixture of recognizable style and impression to many stories over the years. In 1999, he was asked to write a story from his own hunting experiences and illustrate it for the magazine. Titled, "Bearcats and Meadow Grizzlies," it was a story of hunting groundhogs in Pennsylvania with his best friend, the long-range weaponry used and the re-loading hobbies of both young men shared.
In 1995, Denny moved to the wonderful seaport city of Wilmington, NC where he ran the art department for a small screenprint and embroidery business, Seaside Designs. As the Art Director there, he designed and produced artwork for the NC Ferry System, Fort Fisher Historical Center, and many other local businesses and organizations. Over the course of 5 plus years there, the business grew exponentially and was eventually sold to Image Products.
In 2001, Denny relocated to Tampa, Florida where he worked for VF Imagewear (a division of Vanity Fair) in their graphic arts department as Sr. Graphic Artist first for the Special Events division designing event-related artwork for NBA, MLB, NHL and NFL sporting events. Eventually, he moved into the NASCAR devision where he designed wearable artwork for major NASCAR racing teams the country over. In 2005, he was promoted to the newly formed Harley-Davidson division of VF Imagewear where he put his most detailed and creative skills to work in producing illustrative concept art for national franchise Harley-Davidson locations across the USA.
In 2006, an offer was put on the table to relocate to Spartanburg, SC to create graphics for Knights Apparel, an exclusive Licensee for NCAA and NBA apparel. During this time, Denny had begun to explore the world of fine art through color with both acrylics and eventually oils in addition to his very detailed illustrations in graphite. At the request of the late Curt Gowdy's family, Denny painted a tribute portrait to the legendary sports announcer sitting along his favorite trout stream in his Native Wyoming. As a result of Karchner's initial exposure from this work and the unveiling ceremony, Denny was soon contacted by Art Rooney, Jr., Owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers football franchise, to render the likeness of several of the older Steeler players from the 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's for his private collection.
In October, 2006, Karchner was the featured artist as the famous Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, Georgia. His work was prominently displayed in the Borderlands Gallery as well as a guest-speaker for a lecture on his painting techniques and collection of works. During the 2-hour speech, Karchner showed work-in-progress images of his art, explaining his rather unorthodox painting process of "painting in pieces." The Booth also features two of Karchner's originals in their permanent art collection, shown and displayed at their museum as well as their traveling art shows.
In May, 2007, Denny held a one-man-show at his old alma mater, The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, where his entire collection of graphites, western art and the most recent pieces commissioned by Art Rooney, Jr. were shown for the entire month of May. Three pieces of Jack Butler, former All-Pro Defensive Back for the Steelers, were unveiled and displayed to Mr. Butler through a surprise party held in his honor held on the opening night. Another former Steeler and Hall-of-Famer, Ernie Stautner, was also unveiled in graphite for the first time at that same show. Denny continues to do commissioned artwork for the Rooney family, the Pittsburgh Steelers front office and other privately commissioned works requested by the NFL players of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In 2007, Karchner moved to beautiful Cody, Wyoming with his wife, Leigh, to explore acceptance of his western art into galleries along the mid-west, west and southwestern regions. November, 2007, the Karchners opened a retails western decor store and art gallery with Denny's artwork as the featured artist. From this brought much attention from the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody as well as collectors, visitors, other galleries in the area and local artists. Several pieces of Denny's artwork have been donated to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center over the years. His relocation brought into light his talents both locally and nationally during the 2008 Buffalo Bill Historical Center's Annual Art Show and Sale. Karchner's artwork has since been accepted into several major galleries; Buffalo Trails Gallery, Jackson, Wyoming and Mountain Trails Galleries in Sedona, AZ and Jackson, WY. Prints and originals are available at all locations.
Today, Denny continues to produce fine western and Native American art from the limitless reference obtained during his residence in Cody, Wyoming. He works from both his studios in Wyoming and Florida.
References
George Mongon, Former Deputy Director of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody Wyoming
Former Wyoming Senator and Alan K. Simpson, Director of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody Wyoming
Seth Hopkins, Executive Director of the Booth Western Art Museum, Cartersville Georgia
Art Rooney, Jr., Owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers NFL Football Team
External links