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MARQUETTE -- You may have seen some of his artwork while dining at Elizabeth's Chophouse...local painter Dan Cook.  But his latest work has a new twist.  It's done by a process called speed painting--art completed in under 10 minutes.

"I saw it online," said Cook.  "A video of a guy doing it, so I started researching it a bit, trying to figure out what they were doing and what I needed to do if I was going to do it."

So he did, using acrylic paint and a spinning easel.

His first work was a portrait of Mick Jagger auctioned for the Marquette Rotary, which sold for $1,100.

Tuesday, he tackled music icon John Lennon in just over eight minutes, a proud accomplishment for the seasoned artist.

"Anybody can paint," Cook said, "but can everybody speed paint?  Anybody can paint the Mona Lisa, but how long it takes them is a different story."

Cook says the key to his success is memorizing his subject.  There are photos of Lennon all over his home, in his pantry, on his counter top, and even on his refrigerator.

Years spent owning a customized sign business taught Cook to work at a fast pace.

"When I was in the sign business, anytime you did a job, you needed to do it quick," he said.  "If you wanted to make any money, you had to work quick."

His Lennon piece will be auctioned off Sunday to benefit the U.P. Children's Museum.

For more information on Cook and his paintings, visit his Website at http://www.dancook.biz/