Austin · Artist Spotlight
Dan Grissom Prints Scenes From Movies That Don't Exist
The Austin printmaker behind Biscuit Press hand-pulls cinematic, magical-realist nature prints — and gig posters from John Prine to Metallica.
'Grand Canyon' screen print by Dan Grissom — see more at dangrissomart.com
A Dan Grissom print looks like a still from a film that doesn't exist. The Austin printmaker hand-pulls multi-color screen prints of bears, owls, pelicans, and coyotes, then frames them with a storyteller's instinct for the in-between moment. "I often think of my illustrations almost as a scene from the middle of a movie," he says — "I can create these scenes and add little details to make them tell a story, even in just a single image." It's nature, but narrative; folk art with a magical-realist streak.
At a Glance
- Based in
- Austin, Texas
- Medium
- Screenprint & letterpress
- Studio
- Biscuit Press
- Known for
- Nature prints & gig posters
- Carried by
- Austin Art Garage
Hand-pulled, the analog way
Originally from rural Louisiana, Grissom studied graphic design, drifted toward painting and printmaking in graduate school, and worked as a designer and production screen printer in Austin — including a stint at Nakatomi Inc. — before founding his own shop, Biscuit Press, full-time in 2017. He works primarily in screen printing, with letterpress and block printing alongside it, pulling prints by hand in palettes that run from three up to seven colors on a 1949 Kluge press and a full screen setup. "There's a quality you get from that method of printing," he says, "that's hard to quantify."
The gig-poster résumé
Grissom's name travels with the music. His hand-printed concert posters have been made for John Prine, Metallica, Kings of Leon, "Weird" Al Yankovic, Primus, James McMurtry, and many more — the kind of credits that put an artist's work on collectors' walls long before they buy an original. He has also designed whiskey labels for Still Austin and shown in Spoke-Art's New York group shows.
I often think of my illustrations almost as a scene from the middle of a movie.
Why the work lands
What makes Grissom's prints work is the same thing that makes a good short story work: economy. A single frame, a handful of colors, and a detail or two that imply a whole world. It's a craft he's been chasing since childhood — "I've drawn and painted since I was very young," he says, "and I always thought it would be great to figure out a way for this to be my job." He figured it out.
Why we're watching him
Grissom is one of Austin's most prolific working printmakers, with a music-poster pedigree that's hard to match and original prints that start genuinely affordable. A rare combination of collectible and accessible.
Where to see — and buy — his work
His prints live at dangrissomart.com (with a store for available work), and he posts on Instagram at @dangrissom. His work is also carried by Austin Art Garage, where prints have recently run roughly $25 to $40.
About this spotlight: an independent, unpaid feature, written because we admire the work — drawn from public sources, including the artist's own site, a Still Austin interview, and Austin Art Garage. All artwork and images are the artist's; see the work in full via the links above.
Questions, answered
Who is Dan Grissom?
Where can I buy Dan Grissom's prints?
Find · Follow · Support
Where to find Dan Grissom
Love Dan's work? Here's everywhere to see more, follow along, and support Dan directly. Give a follow, share the work, and — if a piece speaks to you — buy from the artist.
Dan was chosen for an Austin Gallery spotlight simply because we admire the work — a free, unpaid feature with nothing asked in return. We believe a gallery's real job is to help people find work worth loving. If you make art in Austin, we'd be honored to celebrate yours too —tell us about your work.
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