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Meet Dana Hassard! We found Dana’s beautiful work on Instagram and were instant fans of her abstract style as well as her use of color. Click on the links below to see more of her art and read on for a peek inside her creative process. Many of these pieces are available for purchase! If you are interested in buying any of her work, please visit her website.
Website: https://www.danahassard.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dhassardart/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dhassardart/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DHassardArt
From Dana: "My name is Dana Hassard and I am an artist based in North Carolina. I am constantly inspired by the world around me and even sometimes conjured dreams. Since I mainly focus on painting abstracts, my inspiration can come from various sources of color palettes. I came across Royal & Langnickel years ago when shopping at Michaels Arts & Crafts store. This was when I first pursued art seriously as a career. My first brushes were Zen and Soft Grip. I love how well all of Royal & Langnickel brushes hold up over time and I am quite rough with brushes especially when creating abstracts. I appreciate getting quality brushes at a reasonable price which is a HUGE plus for me as an artist who likes to stay on budget."
A: I, like most artists, started creating art at an early age. I grew up reading comic books and watching cartoons so I created my own cartoons and constantly drew my favorite characters. I also began drawing caricatures. I didn’t create any art for many years…fast forward to 2015 I made the decision to pursue art as a career. By that time there was so much that had happened in my personal life that I told myself that life was too short and it was time to pursue my dreams and goals. I’m extremely happy and grateful for listening to myself.
A: There are several artists who helped inspire me to pursue art as a career. They may not create art like mine but it is important to share who they are because watching them and their art career paths and hearing their stories plays an integral role into why I wanted to create art and how to keep believing in myself as an artist. The artists that have inspired me the most are: Leilani Joy, Lisa Lachri, Alisa Burke, Happy D, Wyanne, Frida Kahlo.
A: Like most artists, being represented by a gallery or having my own art studio definitely makes the top dream projects list. Ideally though I would love my art studio to have two levels, one would be where I have an open studio space as well as displaying my works for sale. The second level would be an area where I can have workshops as well as opportunities to have charitable/community organizations that can bring people in for a chance to create art, either individually or together. I believe that art connects people on a deeper level and it gives them a chance to express themselves in a non-verbal way.
A: I mainly work in acrylic. I enjoy how forgiving it is and how easy the maintenance is.
A: My creative process fluctuates depending on my mood. It’s always interesting that my mood affects how I approach the creative process with my paintings. Some moments are all about blaring music and having fun and other times it’s about playing soothing or more relaxing music and going with the flow. I enjoy trying different colors, mediums, textures, and tools to achieve the desired effect or result. Music is a mood adjuster for me and helps me drown out the world around me so I can hone in on my craft. I can’t paint in absolute silence so you will find me most commonly playing music (and singing along) and my second choice of filling the silence is playing a movie or TV show in the background.
A: I wasn’t sure if it was attainable at the beginning even though I had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to make it a full-time career. I like to make a list of short-term goals and then long-term goals so it keeps me focused and I find the goals more attainable. Once I set my mind to something I figure out how quickly or how long it will take me to complete that goal and then I go for it…the sky really is the limit (as cliché as that sounds). For instance, I never thought I’d be a “Featured Artist” for Royal & Langnickel, but here I am and I knew I had to take the chance when I saw the “Call for Artist” post. It was definitely a goal of mine to do something like this because I’ve been using this brand ever since I started out so it really brings it home for me being a part of this feature.
A: Stay the course and just keep creating! There are so many times I wanted to give up at the beginning because I kept thinking I wasn’t good enough or I’ll never find my place in this art world. Fortunately with support from friends and family as well as networking with other artists, it helped keep me inspired. Once I realized my art was reaching people and my art resonated with them and they understood my art, that’s what kept me going because it helped me realize my purpose as an artist.
A: I honestly thought at one point I was crazy for even pursuing art even though I knew it was my passion. Between juggling a job and kids and everything else in life, I thought there was no way I could make time for art at all. This is where major self discipline, confidence, and determination came into play. Having an environment that would inspire me to WANT to create was crucial. Having a schedule (making time for your art) is also very important, just like with any job. I usually keep an art journal or art paper out so it’s there for when I have a moment to paint some layers or create a quick sketch. If I’m working on my next painting then I make sure to plan the week(s) around it.
A: Create what YOU want to create, not what others expect you to create. Even though I worked hard to follow this advice well before it was stated to me, it really resonated with me once I heard it because it came from another artist. Sometimes you wonder if you’re alone in doubting your art or yourself, but then you realize some, if not all, artists feel that way.
A: My first love with Royal & Langnickel would have to be the Zen brushes! Next would be the Soft-Grip. I love how long they’ve lasted. My most used brushes are the Zen Series 73 script liner 10/0 and wash 1/2; Zen Series 43 flat 2; Soft-Grip round 4 and wash 3/4.
Royal & Langnickel - Art & Craft
