Artist Dan Koffman


Koffman with
the Flag of Peace and Freedom


Koffman as Lautrec


Koffman as Monet

Meet Dan Koffman

The work of Daniel Koffman does not fall into the categories typically associated with artists. His uniquely creative and bold style transcends all mediums, transforming ordinary concepts into works of art. His outrageous humor, imagination, and vision are elements of his creative problem solving skills.

Throughout his more than 30 year career as a product designer, graphic artist and businessman, Koffman has remained dedicated to producing fine art and has found time to work in many mediums including paint, sculpture and photo collage. Never satisfied with a career limited to “staying within the lines”, Koffman’s true enjoyment lies in providing an unexpected and often humorous twist to the ordinary.

A Koffman signature is incorporating his art and cartoon illustrations into corporate projects, injecting humor and a smile into otherwise traditional marketing, merchandising, and advertising projects. He has shared his corporate imaging skills with Fortune 500 companies and his artwork with individual collectors across the nation and worldwide.

Trained in architectural and industrial design, Koffman was awarded the prestigious California State Gold Medal in Architecture in 1964. In the mid 60’s, he used his technical skills while working on the Mariner Space Project and then, seeking a more humorous creative outlet, spent a year creating a comic book series for radio personality Wolfman Jack.

In 1970 he moved on to Bibi Products Company, Inc. where he was able to utilize his imagination, creativity and unique skills to their fullest extent. As a partner over the next 17 years, he applied his artistic style to a broad range of over 1000 internationally marketed consumer items from bicycles to personal-care accessories. In the late 70’s, Koffman created the novelty item known as the ‘38 Foot Yacht’ -- a small model boat with thirty-eight pink feet on the bottom. This was a yacht that anyone could afford and over one million were sold throughout the world.

Koffman sold his business in the late 80’s and he and his wife Sandy relocated from Los Angeles to the Monterey Peninsula where he established Bottomline Communications, an international advertising agency. His talents have been sought after by corporate giants such as Honeywell Corporation, Samsonite, Fender Guitar and Formosa Plastics as well as dozens of other clients internationally.

Koffman believes that art is communication and that the artist has the privilege of choosing what is to be communicated. Over a dozen years ago, he designed the Flag of Peace and Freedom, choosing to let the images of the sun, birds, and sky express his desire for peace. Each year, he corresponds with the leaders of every country on the face of the planet, asking them to fly the Flag of Peace and Freedom. Thus far, 30 countries have flown his flag. To Koffman, this is art as communication at its most powerful. For more information, visit the Flag of Peace and Freedom website at www.peaceflag.org

The World’s First Delicatessen Museum in Southern California is a unique example of Koffman’s creative marketing. The Deli Collection contains over 30 works of three-dimensional art, including The World’s Biggest Bagel (6 foot diameter) displayed crashing through the ceiling, a 5 foot Dill Pickle Blimp, and celebrity parodies such as Bread Astaire, Salami Davis, Jr. and Marilyn MonRoll. This project transformed a typical delicatessen into a tourist attraction over night. Almost a decade later, this permanent exhibit continues to create smiles and draw spectators (and customers) from miles around.

In 1997, he created The Twisted Olive Gallery located inside Lallapalooza Restaurant in Monterey, California. To promote the restaurant’s Big American Menu & Martini Bar, Koffman created a series of 34 works of art around the singular theme of a pimento-stuffed green olive. This theme, realized on canvas and in metal and ceramics, is carried to every nook and cranny of the upscale restaurant, including the restrooms.

Koffman created The Klub Golf Collection and related concept merchandising plan in 1998 around a series of unexpected, irreverent pokes at the game of golf. He is currently at work on other exciting and outrageous theme business concepts.

In 2000 Koffman realized a life-long dream when he opened Koffman Gallery in downtown Monterey, just steps from scenic Monterey Bay in California. Koffman's "Art with a Smile" focuses on the lighter side of the world we live in. He uses his unique artist's eye to provide and unexpected and often humorous twist to the people, places, events and things that fill our lives. Koffman Gallery is more than a traditional art gallery; it is entertainment that provides smiles, chuckles and a light-hearted look at a sometimes all--too-serious world. A colorful, un-chi-chi, spot-lit retreat filled with the sounds of mello jazz, it is also the home of the Twisted Olive Martini -- Koffman's version of the American classic.Crossing the boundaries of art, creativity and commercial enterprise, Koffman's unique ImpressionisTech style melds impressionism to technology, museum to dot.com. Over 600 of Koffman's works are available, matted or framed, in a variety of sizes and prices so everyone can "take home a smile".

Believing that "art is communication" and wanting to inspire creativity in others, Koffman uses his exciting gallery venue for a multitude of artistic programs, including "imagination training" seminars geared for both corporate groups and school children. He also lends his talents to business clients, customizing existing "Art with a Smile" images and creating original art for advertising campaigns and other corporate uses.

Koffman’s business skills are broad: creator of new products; prototype and display fabrication; designer of packaging, marketing and merchandising material; overseas production liaison; patent & copyright lawyer interface; administrator of national salesforce and operations; trade show manager; sales training film producer; travelled extensively domestically and internationally as company representative.

Daniel Koffman works in almost every medium. His creative force is unlimited. A graphic artist by training, a contemporary artist by choice, an experienced businessman and marketing visionary as attested to by his long-term corporate associations, Koffman takes advantage of every opportunity to express his creativity.

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