Hi, I’m Dana — a designer and fine artist working in coastal California.

My work explores the beauty of structures, patterns, and materials in the natural world.

I’ve been an artist and designer for more than 30 years. Harkening back to my very first art studio in an unfinished room of the house my architect parents designed, art and design are my life’s foundation, and my love.

In my work, I strive to renew our fascination with the natural and built spaces around us by revealing unseen connections, and highlighting special, subtle details.

My background spans fine art, interiors, installations, and product/experience design (UX).

Design

From 2020-2022, I designed and oversaw a major renovation of an architect-designed home, while earning a graduate degree in Science Illustration from CSUMB, in Monterey/Carmel, CA.

Prior to that, I designed solutions to complex visual communication and functional challenges (in the form of immersive digital and physical experiences, infographics, interfaces, and products) for Scientific American, Stimulant, Intel, Cooper (now Designit), and Xplane, among others.

My design work tends to be highly-collaborative, and led towards a human-centered vision and client needs. Learn more about my design experience here: LinkedIn

Art

As an artist and illustrator, I often paint outdoors (en plein air) to capture the lively qualities of light and life that are hard to reproduce from photos. When I paint, I feel as if I am sculpting the surface of the subject with my brush, carving into the painting surface. In this way, I feel intimately connected to the often-fleeting magic of nature.

Follow me on Instagram to watch me paint!

Education

In addition to my formal studies in design, illustration, and fine art, I have also taken courses in architecture, psychology, and somatics — alongside a host of other informal knowledge quests about what makes us and the world around us the way it is.

Current areas of inspiration include the potential of biomimicry, foggy rockscapes, the science of color, Judy Chicago’s recent atmospheric installation at the de Young, and the powerful energy of the Monterey Bay intertidal zone.