Artist Eric Dowdle came to prominence as the founder of Dowdle Folk Art. 

He makes puzzles from paintings that are based on his real-life experiences, i.e., the places he has been to or the things he has seen. 

The talented painter never paints anything that he hasn't seen with his eyes. As his inspirations for a painting come from real-life locations and objects, Eric frequently travels to widen his visual memory.

Further, Dowdle is a renowned puzzle maker who turns his paintings into puzzle pieces. The artist primarily paints folk art as he believes each of his paintings has a story to tell. 

Dowdle experiences a situation first-hand before starting to make his puzzles or paintings. Due to his commitment, Eric has already been involved in extreme sports like paragliding and deep-sea diving.

Eric established his company Dowdle Folk Art in the 1990s. At the time, he went door to door searching for customers. He eventually got the idea to sell his art as puzzle pieces.

The revolutionary notion helped him expand his market and explore the world, as his opportunities were not limited to the states. As of 2022, Dowdle has traveled to multiple countries in Asia and Europe to find inspiration for his art.

In 2019, Eric signed a contract with Disney to blend its characters with his unique art and puzzles.