His love for the outdoors and concern for wildlife grew, and in 1969 he graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Wildlife Conservation. After a tour of duty in the U. S. Navy he continued his wildlife education with graduate study in Wildlife Ecology at the University of Arizona.

He then worked for eleven years as a professional Wildlife Biologist with the U. S. Forest Service and the Virginia Dept. of Game & Inland Fisheries.

Dennis began his development as a sculptor in 1982 when he started carving and painting realistic wildfowl. And, what began as a hobby grew into a demanding career when he chose to devote his full-time to sculpting in 1989.

As he perfected his woodcarving skills, Dennis found it often useful to sketch his compositions in clay before rendering them in wood. He also began using metal sculpture techniques to enable him to present his subjects in a greater variety of habitat settings.

With experience in a variety of media, Dennis feels he has much greater freedom in designing his compositions without being constrained by the strength or weakness of any single material.

The popularity of Danner sculptures has grown steadily, and Dennis maintains a Notification List for his originals.

To help meet the increased demand for his work, he has developed a line of limited edition reproductions and collectible giftware to make his work available to a greater number of wildlife enthusiasts and collectors.

A close eye for detail, extensive use of reference material, and a biologist's familiarity with his subject are what characterize a Danner sculpture.