Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Dustin J. Klassen always enjoyed creating artwork and even started out studying art in college until getting involved in a career in Education. Although he has always loved teaching and coaching something was missing and after an 8 year successful career working for two Universities, he decided it was the right time to attend a workshop at Scottsdale Artists School. After completing the workshop the decision was made to go back to school to finish his art degree. He earned his Bachelor’s in Fine Art from Arizona State University a few years later. Disappointed in the lack of focus towards representational art in the program, Dustin also took time studying with both local and international artists to broaden his understanding of the representational art world - working with the likes of Matt Dickson, Robert Lemler, David Leffel, Max Ginsburg among many more at Scottsdale Artist’s School. This education gave a broad understanding of what it took to build a successful painting regardless of the style. While Dustin’s work has been called trompe l'oeil, he strives to keep an edge to his paintings so that they are read as paintings when they are seen in person, preferring to hide symbolism into his pieces while still showing how his paintings were built. Dustin now paints full time while teaching privately as well as workshops from Los Angeles to Maryland. Dustin and his Wife Yola currently reside outside of the small town of Hedgesville, WV. Less than 2 hours from Washington D.C.