About

Why Do I Love to Paint the Landscape?

I never tire of drawing, painting, or just gazing at the Ko’olau Mountains and Pacific Ocean where I grew up. My enduring motifs are the mountains, water, and the sky. I see them even in abstract forms, like in architecture or food. Traveling, I am always curious to explore and discover new landscapes and the stories told by its people about their home.

Nature and our place in it raise questions about how much we yearn to see ourselves as part of Nature vs. our desire to control and shape our world. 

I believe living with original art in your home creates a cocoon of well being when surrounded by natural materials and well crafted objects instead of machine-made artificial environments.

My role models are those who found their way late in life, like the actor Patrick Stewart and Vincent Van Gogh who used their love of humanity and reverence for the eternal to give them courage to create their whole life. My desire and curiosity to explore and create art does not diminish with time, if anything, God leads me to commit more deeply every day to create and communicate through my art.

My work is based in narrative and direct observation of nature. I seek out kumu and kupuna and listen: to their stories that give context to what I see and then spend time in specific locales to gain impressions that are preferably started on site as much as possible, and completed in my studio. Working in watercolor means fearless painting and then–waiting. Again and again until the piece is whole. Sometimes I get there quickly, other times, not so much. 

I think a lot before I start, but once I do, there is no hesitation.

Formal Education
Rudolph Schaeffer School of Design
BFA California College of Arts (formerly California College of Arts and Crafts)

Commissions accepted. Speaking engagement and demo inquiries also gladly accepted. Info@dawnyoshimurastudio.com