Larry Dean Biography

Artist’s Statement:

I am a native North Carolinian, born in Oxford, NC.  My mother was a very talented oil painter.  She was a young girl in the Depression, and did all of her work using house paints that her uncle gave her from his house painting business.  My mother became totally blind at the age of 32, which ended her art career.  She then encouraged me to play the piano and accordion.

I have been playing the piano and singing professionally since I was seven.  I majored in music at Campbell University.  I have played in country, jazz, pop, top forty, beach, and oldies bands.  Currently I am the owner and lead singer of North Tower Band.

Even though I was heavily involved in music, in 2001 I took my first acrylic painting class.  I began selling my work soon after.  I became a member of Raleigh’s Visual Artists Exchange, and my work started selling well.  In my first five years as a painter, I have sold over seventy paintings.  The theme of my work is cityscapes and landscapes.  Most of my work is my favorite places in North Carolina.  I have been lucky enough to sell my work to such notables as Frank Daniels Jr., Rufus Edminston, The Raleigh Country Club, Cary Visual Arts, Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, and the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin.  In 2002 I was awarded the blue ribbon for painting at the NC State Fair.

I continue to study painting.  I am enjoying the mix of artist and musician.