Daniel E. Greene, N.A., “Self-Portrait”
Daniel E. Greene, N.A., “Self-Portrait”

We are saddened to announce that Daniel E. Greene has passed away. It is no secret that he has inspired countless artists over the years.

“Daniel E. Greene was an enormous talent who inspired generations of admirers around the world,” says Peter Trippi, Editor-in-Chief of Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. “It is particularly meaningful to us at Fine Art Connoisseur that our brand-new issue (to reach newsstands and mailboxes on May 1) contains several memorable comments he generously offered for a large article about portraiture. Dan Greene remained lively and incisive until the end, and he will truly be missed by everyone who loves great painting.”

“Dan was an icon in the art world, but also a generous giving man, teaching thousands of students,” says Eric Rhoads, CEO of Streamline Publishing. “Thankfully we gave him our lifetime achievement award at the Figurative Art Convention & Expo (FACE) this past fall. He was a huge inspiration to the entire audience. He will be missed.”

From the studio of Daniel Greene:

With the recent passing of Daniel Greene on Sunday, April 5, 2020, many have inquired about how they can help; in lieu of flowers and in the event you would like to, a donation to the Artists’ Fellowship, Inc. in Daniel Greene’s name would be most appreciated. This is a non-profit organization that Daniel Greene and Wende Caporale-Greene have been closely connected with for many years (Daniel was honored in 1999, Wende is on the board and had served as president.) Right now, due to the Coronavirus, they have had an onslaught of applications for aid by artists who have suffered losses due to the virus. Normally, they help professional artists in emergency situations and the Coronavirus certainly qualifies. Sadly their endowment has been negatively impacted by the market drop which means they have less to give artists. Please check out their website: https://www.artistsfellowship.org.

Daniel E. Greene and Wende Caporale during the Lifetime Achievement Award presentation at FACE
Daniel E. Greene and Wende Caporale during the Lifetime Achievement Award presentation at FACE

As stated, at the most recent Figurative Art Convention & Expo, we had the pleasure of honoring both Daniel and his wife, Wende Caporale, with a Lifetime Achievement Award (watch the mini-documentary below).

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Daniel Greene artist Wende Caporale
Eric Rhoads (left), Daniel E. Greene (seated), Peter Trippi, and Wende Caporale at the Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony held at FACE.

Daniel E. Greene was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1934 to Earl and Gertrude Greene, who had settled there after immigrating from Poland, Russia, and Eastern Europe at the turn of the century.

Daniel began showing his natural talent for art quite early in life, even though his school didn’t offer art classes until the fourth grade.

At 13, he attended the children’s classes at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, his first formal training.

By 1952, Daniel was a senior in high school. In his haste to study art, he decided to quit school and move to Miami Beach. There, he discovered portrait sketch artists catering to tourists. He joined the crowds watching the pastel artists, who were primarily Cuban.

When Daniel applied for a job sketching at one of the shops, called Wendkos & Serge, he was told there were no openings. He reapplied later and, this time, was told the bitter truth; that he just wasn’t good enough.

Hearing this drove the young artist to work harder. He bought Stella Mackie’s portrait book along with an assortment of hard pastels and voraciously practiced until he was ready to reapply. He succeeded, marking the beginning of his career as an artist.

Averaging seven portraits per day, he naturally gained skills at painting a variety of people from life. To be completely equipped, he knew he needed an intensive academic course. When he received a catalog from the Art Students’ League of New York, the work of Robert Brackman sealed the academic approach that Daniel desired.

Daniel headed to New York, got a job at an art materials store, and enrolled in Brackman’s evening class at ASL. In his first class, Brackman came in, spotted Daniel’s work, and remarked to the class, “we have a lot of talent this year.”

Drafted by the Army in 1957, Daniel served two years, was honorably discharged, and moved back to Greenwich Village.

He continued sketching portraits, networking, and participating in art shows, and was proposed for membership to the Salmagundi Club. After he became a member, Daniel was asked to teach, and did so at the National Academy of Design and at the Art Students League.

Later, in 1979 and 1980, Daniel taught summer-long classes in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Finding he enjoyed being away from New York City, he closed his 67th Street studio.

Unbeknownst to Daniel, a pastel artist named Wende Caporale had gone to ASL in search of his teaching after her own professors recommended that she study with Daniel.

Although she discovered Daniel had recently left New York, she saw one of his portraits and experienced a “life-changing, prophetic moment.”

Once discovering Daniel was now in North Salem, New York, Wende enrolled in his classes at what has become the well-known and loved Studio Hill Farm. At the time, neither Wende nor Daniel realized their lives would intertwine to become more than teacher and artist.

Spending many summers painting and working together, their personal relationship blossomed and they married in 1986.

Once Wende and Daniel were married, they continued their lives in the world of art and also raising their daughter, Avignon. Daniel painted commissioned portraits, did non-commissioned work for galleries, and taught workshops all over the US and at Studio Hill Farm.

Daniel’s work has garnered many awards of achievement, including 44 prizes and a place in the Hall of Fame from the Pastel Society of America; a Gold Medal from the Portrait Society of America; a Gold Medal as a Salmagundi Club Honoree; a place in the Hall of Fame for the Oil Painters of America, and many more.

His works are in over 700 public and private collections in the United States and abroad, including the Butler Institute of American Art, the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Pentagon and House of Representatives in Washington, D.C, the Smithsonian Institution, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as many others.

Daniel has painted the portraits of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, Commander Astronaut Walter Shirra, Jr., Ayn Rand, Natalie Portman, Bob Schieffer, Bryant Gumbel, and numerous Congressmen, Governors, Judges, Educators, and Industrialists.

Daniel’s books and instructional videos have reached people worldwide and have been translated into multiple languages. He has taught over 10,000 students during his six decades of teaching and his influence continues.

Related Article > 66 Years: A Retrospective of Daniel E. Greene Paintings


20 COMMENTS

  1. Sorry to hear Daniel Greene has died. His work and memory will live on. I was one of his students in Gloucester, MA in 1979 and I learned so much from him.
    Alice Broughton

  2. Daniel Greene will be missed, but his legacy lives on! The first workshop I took, many years ago, was under Daniel Greene. He was a solid and dedicated educator. I am grateful to FACE for honoring him and Wende in November! It was a true honor to speak with both of them at the convention.

  3. So very sorry to hear of Daniel Greene’s passing .
    My daughter and I attended a summer workshop with him a few years ago . My daughter was a teen at the time and Mr. Greene was the consummate instructor, my daughter and I were thrilled to be learning from him in person !
    What an inspiration he was to both of us !
    And , meeting Wende and seeing some of their art in person couldn’t have been more exciting ! What an unforgettable week that was ! God bless Dan and Wende and their kind and generous hearts !

  4. Mr. Daniel E. Greene was kind, generous and gracious enough to allow me to be his practicum student last summer (2019). I am so saddened to hear of his passing. The art world has lost a tremendous irreplaceable, master teacher.

  5. I am also very sad to hear that Daniel Greene has passed away . I attended a workshop in Como, Italy many Years ago and then a 2 w workshop in North Salem. He was a fantastic teacher with a God given talent and it was an honour to have that opportunity to learn from the very best Master . Also , my condoleances to his wonderful wife and daughter Avignon . RIP.

  6. So sorry to learn that Daniel Greene is now gone…not only because
    of the loss of an excellent artist but also because another Hughes
    High School classmate is now gone. We were in the same class although
    he was really not around much and even though he did not graduate,
    Daniel was probably the most successful and well known of all of us.
    My husband, Paul, and I do have constant reminders because we each
    have our portraits done by him during a return to do a Cincinnati workshop.
    A truly great artist that will be missed.

  7. Back in the mid ’60s I studied with Daniel Greene and learned a great deal about portrait painting which I never followed up on, but Dan was the instrument of my gaining a scholarship membership in the Salmagundi Club. Although I have been unsuccessful financially as an artist, I have not given up on the idea of making a living as such and I will forever be grateful to Dan for what he taught me and for his generous efforts to help me. I cannot believe he is gone. I left New York 20 years ago and lost all contact with Dan, but I will never forget him and his generosity.

  8. On Easter Sunday I decided to review my 2002 Daniel Greene video of “James” as a way to focus back on my art during this ‘stay at home’ epidemic. When I googled the artist – and was shocked to find in passed away one week earlier! I’ve always loved his art – and have been inspired by him since college. I found his book, “Pastels” in my library and wrote the date I purchased it inside – July 1975. I have been trying to learn from him ever since. It’s wonderful to know an artist lives on in their work.

  9. Having modeled for Daniel Greene for 15 years in his workshops in North Salem, and in his private SUBWAY and AUCTION series paintings, I am very saddened to hear of his passing. He was a dedicated teacher, much like a “college professor”, who shared his knowledge with students of ALL LEVELS from all over the U.S. and around the world. It was an honor to have modeled for him. Lots of good memories from those workshops. My deepest sympathy goes out to my friends Wende and Avignon.

  10. I talked to Randy Orwig yesterday, and learned of Dan’s passing on April 5. I had five wonderful years studying under this great master. The art world has lost one of its best.
    I would like to send my sincerest condolences to Wende and Avignon.

  11. In deed we will miss Daniel Green. I first saw his work in American Artist Magazine and read some of his articles which were helpful to me as a painter.
    Thank you Green, you live on in your paintings.

  12. My mom bought be his Art Of Pastel book in the early 90s when I was about 14 years old, and I have been his fan ever since. In 2003 he was my first workshop experience and it was so surreal to me. I have followed him ever since and I am truly saddened to hear of his passing. What an incredible contribution he made, and his legacy will live on.

  13. So good to hear him talk about his career as he accepted his award from F. A. C. E. and Wendy as she spoke about the artists thay have helped.

  14. My mother and daughter took his last week-long summer session at Studio Hill Farm and had an amazing experience. My daughter made 2 beautiful paintings, at age 15! I was fortunate enough to then take a 3 hour class with my daughter and I had the privilege of being the model. It was one of the most interesting experiences of my life. He (and Wende) were an inspirational and wonderful, gifted partnership.

  15. Es muy triste que Daniel Greene ya no esté con nosotros, pero sus grandes enseñanzas y contribuciones al estudio del arte quedaran para siempre en nosotros. Fue un gran maestro, pero aún mejor maestro del retrato ya que sabía transmitir todo lo que él conocía y lo explicaba de una manera muy organizada y puntual.

    Lo vamos a extrañar mucho! Que en paz descanse +.

  16. Sorry to hear about Wende Caporale-Greene’s loss. I only spoke to Daniel Greene briefly on the phone, when I became full-time in 1999. I’ve modeled in Wende’s Portraiture courses at No. Westchester Center for the Arts & Katonah Arts Center .. she mentioned he was ill during our last session in Fall 2019. May she and their daughter find peace & solace at this time. My condolences ..

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