About
Artist’s Statement
During my formative years while growing up in the Midwest, I was encouraged to appreciate our natural environment through many family activities such as camping, gardening and hiking in state and national parks during each of the four seasons of the year. I developed an appreciation for the awe inspiring nuanced colors, patterns and beauty we find in our natural settings…whether it be intricate, and delicate or exuberant and vibrant. Each season’s distinct colors came to represent unique emotional associations. Simultaneously, a passion for architecture and interior design led to my fascination with the influence of color within our living and work spaces. I discovered how the use of color can also represent emotions. During my teen years I lost track of time while pouring over architectural plans and imagining home interiors.
My creative passions were reignited in my early 40’s while visiting art galleries in Santa Fe, NM. I found myself compelled to explore painting in a manner that was both energizing and intuitive. I quickly rediscovered my love for expressing myself through painting and the pleasure of creating art after several years of ignoring these longings. I was captivated by acrylics and the tactile process of creating texture and building layers to create depth and intrigue. A new, yet familiar world opened up and I found joy in once again exploring my own interests. My earlier fascination with color and its impact on our surroundings along with my passion for our environment all began to come together to create intuitive paintings reflecting my emotions, hopes and memories.
My art practice centers around subtle and non-representative paintings in which I invite viewers to speculate and use their imaginations in order to interpret the work within each painting. Beginning with an image in mind by using palette knives, create subtle, multi layered textures, both opaque and translucent layers. The soothing motion of gliding the palette knife back and forth over a canvas is comforting. There comes a point when my intuition tells me the painting is finished. My love for color motivates me to explore color combinations and to express myself in ways in which are easier by painting rather than using words. I am a self-taught artist who continues to explore my painting career, selected classes, self-introspection and by my curious nature by asking myself “I wonder what happens when…”.
I believe each painting is an honest exploration of my recollections and a manner in which to share emotions which can be difficult to describe otherwise. It is my hope that others find a connection with and are stirred by my paintings and to possibly even evoke treasured memories. Whether it’s lighthearted and playful or depicting longing and deeper felt sentiments, I hope to convey the various emotions we all experience. My landscape paintings may capture memories from a long-ago travels, childhood memories, or of our natural surroundings in which people’s lives were forever influenced. It is my belief that each painting tells its own story.
~ Dawn Winter
CAREER PROGRESSION:
When did your career begin? How has it progressed?
The thought of painting had never crossed my mind until I visited the galleries located in Santa Fe, NM. Although I’ve had an avid interest in architecture and interior design for many years, the idea of creating paintings hadn’t occurred to me. So, in 2005, while my mom and I meandered through the Fine Art Galleries along Canyon Road in Santa Fe, NM, I increasing became enthralled and intrigued by the paintings. And, surprisingly, I found myself wanting to try my hand at painting.
Upon returning to Austin, TX I found myself purchasing canvases, acrylic paints, mediums, brushes, etc. and began experimenting. I lived a chaotic life maintaining a home, organizing my families’ activities, volunteering, checking off “endless “to-do” lists and organizing other’s lives. Painting was a hobby and an escape from all the busy-ness.
Due to a friend’s encouragement, I entered a juried Art contest and won third place…my first juried event. That led to my art pieces being showcased with the Austin Art Garage where I continue to display and sell my paintings. During this same time frame, my life was also transitioning from being a stay-at-home mom to returning to work, a divorce and becoming a single-parent. My first painting to sell took place at the local “Quacks” Coffeehouse and Bakery one month before my divorce was final. That was in 2008 and since then I continued showing my artwork in various Austin, TX locations including rotating exhibits within corporations, the Austin Chamber of Commerce, the Austin Visual Arts Association, and the Austin Art Garage and Art Connections Galleries. I enjoy collaborating with Interior Designers and private collectors creating commissioned artwork to compliment commercial spaces and client’s living spaces.
In October of 2012, two homes featuring my artwork were televised on two separate HGTV’s Property Brothers “Buying and Selling” episodes. In 2016, I held my first solo exhibition “Uncovering The Layers” with The SEAD Gallery in Bryan, TX. In 2017, an additional painting was featured on HGTV’s “House Hunter’s Renovation” program. Other exhibitions have included several EAST and WEST Studio Tours and additional commission work with private collectors. Previously, several paintings were available as framed canvas prints with Anthropologie.com. Currently, the painting “Glimpses of Gold” is available with Neiman Marcus and Horchow.
Many changes occurred during 2020 including moving to North Carolina (near Asheville, NC). Having previously lived in NC and having family in the area (plus my love for the Appalachian mountains) and thinking through priorities during the pandemic compelled me to make the decision to return home. I am looking forward to additional blogging and artwork showings, exploring additional commissioned artwork possibilities and seeing where this journey continues!
How would you describe your style?
Well, of course, each artist has their own style, their own “look” which may evolve over time. My own look tends to have a saturated, textured, layered look to it. Sometimes, with a horizontal splashed of color. I aim to create paintings with a sense of depth by using several layers of paint using a palette knife to create texture in order for previous layers to “poke” through. My hope is that one is compelled to touch the paintings to enjoy the tactile experience of enjoying the painting.
Because I am drawn to wide-open spaces, the openness of the sky set against the horizontal lines, I occasionally venture into painting abstract landscapes. With my love of paining horizontal lines anyway and my love of the outdoors, it seems like a natural path to take. I tend to create an image of one standing from a stationary spot and gazing into the distance across the sea towards land or across the plains and viewing the clouds overhead.