Dean Bradshaw grew up in southern California’s Santa Monica Mountains. From an early age nature was a close friend. He spent every available moment hiking and observing the intricacies of natural light and form. By grade school age, Dean was translating his experiences in nature onto paper and canvas. He won many high school art awards and a scholarship to the prestigious Art Center Institute in Los Angeles. As an adult, Dean spent many years in southern France, where he painted and immersed himself in the local culture. In France, he gained an appreciation for the decorative arts and period furniture. Back in the States he had the rare opportunity to study furniture design and fabrication with world-renowned Swiss ebeniste (a French word meaning old-world master craftsman) Andre Liardet in Beverly Hills, California. Dean started his own successful furniture business in 1976. Many of his painted and carved works may be found among royalty, stars and prominent business people around the world. In 2006, Dean decided to devote his talents to painting full time. In the mountains of northern Utah he finds himself surrounded by some of the most spectacular subject matter for which an artist can hope. He renders the visual wonderland into compelling landscapes with brush and palette knife.