We were lucky to catch up with Lindsey Dunnagan recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lindsey, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

Studying architecture, going to graduate school, and applying to public art projects are the major sources that influenced my art today. I always drew and painted, but my art became more serious at Texas A&M, where I studied environmental design (architecture). I learned so much about interesting materials and how space could interact with the body. On my own, I started experimenting with sanding plexiglas and painting on it with watercolor media. The discovery of this pairing was the catalyst for my most long-term project of painting maps on plexiglas.

Next, studying art in graduate school pushed me to become more critically thoughtful as I honed my craft. Another major source of growth came from applying for public art projects. This act required me to think of my art on a bigger scale. Once I could imagine the things I was creating as filling a large wall in an airport or hanging from an atrium, my work broke past the boundaries of a studio. This realization allowed my art to become more flexible and my ideas to grow.

In 2016, I took those ideas and made a large-scale labyrinth out of painted plexiglas panels called “The Journey Home Project.” It was an inclusive artwork that unified the “homes” of diverse people. From refugees to students, mapped locations that people called home and their names were painted onto a large-scale installation that formed a labyrinth. The project consisted of eighteen 4′ x 8′ panels that visitors could walk through. More recently, I have learned how to use laser cutters and CNC routers to create interesting shapes in plexiglas so, once painted, I can install them on a wall in organic groupings.

Getting an education had the most dramatic impact on my ability to technically improve in my work. Having life experiences, such as joining the Peace Corps and living in Morocco for two years, helped enrich my critical thinking skills. I don’t know that this combination of education and experience can or should be rushed. For me, gaining lessons as they presented themselves and naturally evolving as an artist allowed me to grow into my own over time.

I think my biggest obstacle has been the inability to let things go when they don’t seem to be working; I can be quite stubborn. However, I’ve learned that not every idea is meant to come to fruition and if it’s just not working, I have to let it go. That is one of the greatest gifts of getting older: perspective and knowledge.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

I use diverse techniques to explore human interactions with the natural environment. My artwork connects humanity to nature in small ways and large. From an intimate view, I tell stories of home and identity. On a larger scale, I investigate our spiritual ties to nature. My work is an investigation of micro and macro personal connections and a reminder of the space we traverse.

I was born in Anchorage, Alaska and eventually moved to Texas where I earned a Bachelor of Environmental Design Architecture from Texas A&M in 2007. After college, I worked as an architectural intern before deciding to join the US Peace Corps. From 2007 – 2009, I worked with artisans as a Small Business Development Volunteer in Morocco. In 2014, I completed a Master of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing and in 2015 I finished a Master of Arts in Art History from Texas Woman’s University. I am an Associate Professor of Art at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri where I run the Painting Department.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

You may have noticed that my first degree was in architecture. In high school and college, I truly believed that I was going to become an architect. I loved exploring interesting spaces and thinking about the built environment. However, when I interned at an architectural firm, I discovered that the day-to-day business of architecture was less creative than I’d hoped. It was a shock to eventually look around the firm where I worked and realize that I did not want anyone’s job. I half-jokingly refer to that moment as my quarter-life crisis.

After undergrad, I still had to attend graduate school to finish my architectural education. In the interim between undergrad and grad school, I decided to have an adventure and really think about my future. I had always wanted to join the U.S. Peace Corps and was accepted as a Small Business Development Volunteer in Morocco. In the fall of 2007, I was sent to a small province called Azilal to work with local artisans. Although this experience proved more challenging than I expected, it helped me come to the conclusion that I wanted to pursue my first love: art. When I returned to the U.S., this pivot required more work than I imagined, but it was worth it. I had to live at home and work multiple part-time jobs while I attended an art school as a post-graduate to improve my art portfolio. Eventually, I did receive my MFA and was fortunate enough to create artworks that belong to several permanent collections across the nation. My hard work paid off and I’m so glad I didn’t take the path of least resistance to continue my architecture degree.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

The Percent For Art program is an incredible resource that many artists may not know about. It is a voluntary program that most cities participate in where 1% of any publicly funded construction is spent on artwork. This means that there are large-scale public artworks cities are looking to commission. A great site for these projects is https://www.publicartist.org.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lindseydunnagan.com
• Instagram: @lindseydunnagan

Image Credits
Lisa Saltman (for one photo)