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Local artist’s ideas, passion fueled by family

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Growing up with a father who was a doctor in the U.S. Navy, Dana Aldis moved around a lot. Her family lived in Guam, Philippines, and Taiwan.

In an interview with the Sun, Aldis said all the traveling is part of the reason she grew to love art. Her parents went out of their way to introduce her to art, taking her to art museums in Paris and New York.

An uncle also played a role in her love for art. Whenever he would come to visit the family, he would always give her art supplies and really encouraged that passion.

Aldis received her Bachelor of Fine Arts  from the Corcoran School of the Arts & Design in Washington D.C., and then went on to get her Master of Fine Arts at the New York Academy of Art in 2000. And now she is this month’s showcased artist at the ART123 Gallery, 123 Coal Ave. However, before she decided to pursue art, she wanted to be a veterinarian, until she learned she was allergic to a lot of animal’s dandruff.

She draws and paints pictures of landscapes and animals. She said for her, art is all about telling a story.

“My main focus is basically drawing and painting stuff that looks like stuff,” she said.

Right now Aldis teaches art classes at UNM-Gallup and volunteers by helping out with art classes at the Manuelito Children’s Home and at a private school. She said part of the reason she teaches is because she wants to teach others what she knows.

““I feel it’s important to spread my knowledge to others, whether they’re seven-year-old or adults,” Aldis said.

She said that one of the most important parts of art is the subject of a painting or drawing.

“… The subject is what draws you in, but then the challenge becomes how are you able to portray it in a way that other people can understand or maybe not,” Aldis said. “But now I’ve found that the challenge is becoming more about how to use the elements of art, literally the materials I’m working with, which is mostly oil paints and canvas, and how to create the subject in a way that speaks to me and also to the medium that I’m using.”

One of her pieces that is featured at ART123 Gallery is a painting of a tree that is on the Pyramid Rock Trail. The painting is the largest piece featured in her showcase at 4 feet by 6 feet.

She said her favorite part about being an artist is showing other people her vision.

“My favorite part about being an artist is being able to show my vison and how I see the world to others and having others enjoy or appreciate or even try to understand the way I see things,” Aldis said. “I enjoy looking at the sometimes overlooked and things that maybe most people take for granted. I try to observe and record what I can and share as much as I can with the audience.”

She said that ultimately, as an artist, she just wanted to tell stories.

“I think in the end art is about telling a story and what story is appealing to you,” she said.  “Everyone is going to have a different one; some people gravitate more toward subjects like portraits or still life. My favorite things are probably animals and landscapes for the most part.”

Aldis’s artwork will be featured at the ART123 Gallery until Nov. 12. She will be speaking at an artist talk on Oct. 19 at the gallery starting at 6 pm.

By Molly Ann Howell
Sun Correspondent