Dan Attoe has been exhibiting painting, sculpture and performance since graduating in 2004 with an MFA from the University of Iowa. He is most known for his paintings of natural scenes that uniquely combine landscape painting with genre painting; these scenes are inhabited by small human intruders who disrupt the grandiosity of their settings. This distinctive combination of two categories of fine art painting draw attention to the estrangement that man feels with nature. Attoe achieves this effect by highlighting the tendency of humans to focus on the mundane and inconsequential aspects of life while simultaneously ignoring the natural wonders that are directly in front of them.

His later body of work continues to reflect his particular interest with the absurdity of modern life. Attoe's neon drawings continue to convey the humorous critique on the monotony of everyday life present in his earlier bodies of work. The accompanying phrases under each piece contextualize the illuminated figures.

Recent solo exhibitions were held at The Hole, Western Exhibitions in Chicago and Peres Projects, Berlin. Interesting group shows include many museums around the world from Astrup Fernley Museum in Oslo, to the ICA in Portland, Maine; the DESTE museum in Athens to the Schirn Kunstalle in Frankfurt.