We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dana Musso a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Dana, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
I could go on and on about how many careers I envisioned pursuing, and how there is so much that sparks inspiration in my mind’s eye. Every time I got really interested in a new subject, whether that be marine science or art history (two subjects that I could talk about for days) art was how I connected to it. By drawing out animals or recreating paintings, I learned so much and felt more connected. With each new passion that arose, art was the foundation they built upon. So when I realized I couldn’t just pick one career path, I went with a way where I could connect them all – an artist.
Being an artist has allowed me to delve into new worlds and learn so much. Having the most supportive family and educators, I felt safe and comfortable knowing that this lifestyle was going to be the most rewarding. So it was never my dream to become an artist, it’s just something I always was. Art is how I experience life, so that helped in knowing that whatever my career was going to be – art again, had to be the foundation. I am so grateful that it was, and to be able to say that this is what I get to do.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Well firstly for those of you who don’t know me (yet), Hello! I am a sunny, South Florida gal, and have been making art my entire life. I am a jack of all trades and wanted a career where I was always learning and creating. I received a BFA in Graphic Design and minors in Art History and Advertising from the University of Miami. Go ‘Canes! As an artist, I do a variety of commissions that include: graphic design/branding, paintings, and embroidery. The best way to describe what I do, in detail, is to break it down into these three categories: graphic design, painting, and embroidery.
The first is graphic design. I was introduced to this field primarily in college. In the dichotomy of the “Artist” career, this is the realist (whereas the painter is the dreamer) and I grew to love it more and more with each class I took. Graphic design is how we communicate in this very visual world of ours. When I have my graphic design hat on, it is one of the most rewarding experiences. Working closely with clients to help their passions come into the world is such an exciting process. Developing the right logo, color palette, and website so that their brands can be easily recognized and stay fresh with each glance is what I aim to provide most in this field.
Secondly, are my paintings. I have been seriously selling paintings since I was 18. My paintings are usually very personal, in the sense that they are based on my interests and inspirations. When I do custom works it’s based on paintings that I have made for fun. When clients request a painting or other form of fine artwork, it works in tandem with my style. My paintings always evolve as I experiment with new techniques. In, 2018 my pieces explored organic shapes, my personal favorite is “Shady Lady.” I felt that they added some more interest, rather than just hard edge-shaped canvases, to a room. It was so much fun to take the jigsaw to my garage and see what subjects I can transform. Currently my paintings feature heavy textures and loose brush strokes that allow the piece to feel more whimsical. I am a pretty crafty person and like to construct some small level of three-dimensional space in my creations whenever I am able. Whenever I get a custom commission I always make sure I am providing exactly what the client has in mind while remaining true to my artistic integrity.
Lastly, is my embroidered works. This is the most recent skill I have developed. I taught myself the basics for my college art show. The focus of the show was a “pop-up” clothing brand, so while I was branding the label, and screen-printing tees, I figured why not add some texture with some embroidery. From there my love for the medium grew and grew! Working with a needle and thread really makes me feel very connected. It’s a practice that has been passed down from generation to generation and it reminds me of sitting on the couch with my grandma while she had her needlepoint in hand. So, because of the nostalgia I get from this art form, it means so much to me when I can share it with others. My embroidery style is very delicate. My subject matter usually parallels the classical sculpture goddess motif, I just find them to be so suited to this craft. Most of the time I will do custom embroidery and beadwork on jackets (or any item of clothing) and pins. When I am working on an embroidered piece I get happily lost in this craft for hours.
I am very proud of my range of styles and skills. As an artist, there is so much pressure to have a specific style, but just like people, art is not so singular. Overall, it’s my hope that my artworks bring people peace and joy. I feel that because I explore so many artistic avenues, I can really develop custom works that are unique and feel meaningful to clients and to myself. I am so proud of the way my art is developing through the stages of my life. I can’t wait to see how it evolves in the future!
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I had to unlearn that my art had to be “good enough” I still don’t know what I thought that even meant. I think I had it in my head that my art needed to be so revolutionary, so intricate, so correct, but I never found out how to do that.
Then one day I was scrolling through Instagram and I heard this audio that went along the lines of, “All an artist, really is, is someone with the loving drive to create.” It was such a freeing thing to hear. As an art student, being graded on your work was always a strange feeling. I loved my college art professors, but I felt that because I was so focused on my work looking “right” I forgot how to make art that I enjoyed. No doubt all of those lessons made me a better, more skillful artist but the self-critic took it too close to heart. There had become so much pressure over when and what to create that I lost the love of creating itself. So, hearing that audio, really reminded of what I love most about making art.
I started making the things I wanted to see, or experience in life and I have found that my work now has more life to it! I am reminded that it is human nature to create beautiful things and that it’s found in so many places. Unlearning what I thought a great artist had to be, I started learning how to become the great artist that I needed to be for myself. I even find when your authenticity is able to be present in creating, it resonates with others as well!
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding part of being an artist is knowing that my work can bring some sort of joy to others. It’s my way of making meaningful connections with others. When someone supports my art, it means that I was able to provide them the same joy that making it brought to me. Knowing that my art is going to be cherished by someone else, creates a strong sense of community with those people.
No matter the art form, it can be music, dance, or poetry, art provides a space for people to lead with their hearts first. It is driven by curiosity and passion and I feel that art is what makes us human. Art, to me, is about bringing more beauty into my day-to-day, especially when the world feels a little dark. Bringing others that same sense of beauty to their lives just makes me so grateful to be an artist.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://danamusso.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danamusso_design/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danamusso/