Dana De Ano is a visual artist who projects beauty into the world, one piece at a time. Her hope is that her work provokes tenderness, giving pause and sparking wonder in her viewers. She sees her work as abstracted landscapes, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the conversation of broken things, mirroring life itself. Through her work, she breaks the rules and plays with materials as fairly or unfairly as she chooses.
De Ano is a self-represented artist based in Chicago (Evanston). She earned a BA from De Paul University and an MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in Painting and Drawing. Her work has been shown nationally and placed internationally. She has been profiled in numerous national publications, including Elle Décor, Dwell, Domino, and Modern Luxe Interiors. She has been awarded residencies, including Ragdale and Grand Marias Art Center, and has given public lectures.
One of her recent pieces, “Adventure Story,” is a mixed media piece measuring 44 x 30 inches. It was created on residency at The Penland School of Craft in North Carolina and is made of acrylic, oil, graphite, found scrap material, and thread on printmaking paper. This piece is a testament to De Ano’s ability to create immersive landscapes that invite viewers to explore and wonder.
Dana De Ano’s work is a testament to her dedication to beauty and wonder. Her work has been described as raw, immediate, edgy, elegant, and generous, and she describes her practice as dedicated, integrity-driven, and responsible. As she continues to create, Dana De Ano will undoubtedly continue to inspire wonder and provoke tenderness in her viewers, one piece at a time.
