Denny Dent (April 5, 1948 – March 29, 2004) was an American seed painter who was known for his frenetic performances as he painted large portraits of celebrities.
Dent was born in Oakland, California to a family of artists and graduated from Oakland High School. "My grandfather was ambidextrous," he says, giving a nod to the gene pool for his two-fisted talents, "a cabinetmaker and an artist. My mother was a painter and always told me I was an artist. That's the heritage of the family." Though no one's been able to verify it, Dent's grandfather insisted they are direct descendants of Titian, the Renaissance Italian master. He credited his mother and speed painter D. Westry with influencing his art. His style emerged after he painted a spontaneous portrait of John Lennon at a 1980 vigil.
A Denny Dent performance, which he referred to as a "Two-Fisted Art Attack," consisted of him rapidly painting on a 6-foot-tall black canvas with multiple brushes in both hands, as well as painting with his bare hands, to a musical accompaniment. Over the course of just a few pop/rock songs, he would complete a portrait. His subjects were most often musicians, but also included other entertainers, sports figures, and political leaders. One of his most famous performances was at the Woodstock 94' concert.
Dent could also paint with his feet, but seldom did so in public. What he called his "dance on canvas" featured maniacal, mesmerizing movement, but he regarded the sermons he shouted over the music while he painted as his main mission. He said he turned down mention in Guinness World Records as the world's fastest artist because he feared the distinction might detract from his inspirational message about the saving graces of art.
His hybrid art form of painting, music and choreography rang the cash register to the tune of $25,000 a performance at rock concerts, corporate get-togethers and other events. Sometimes Mr. Dent referred to himself as an ''artrepreneur.'' At other times he called himself ''a kid playing in mud.''