Grazing Sheep

Paris Street Dress

Biography

I was born in Vancouver, B.C. and as long as I can remember I was always consumed with art. At an early age I had a passion to paint but as life carried on so did the events that got in my way.

Early on I traveled to Europe and lived in London. This is when I got my first taste of European history and culture. I did study art by correspondence in London while I worked full time in a publishing company. When I came back to Canada I continued in the publishing business working for magazine, newspaper and book publishers in the graphics department.

I studied fashion design at Capilano College and Helen Lefeaux School of Fashion Design where I graduated with the “Highest Achievement Award” in 1984. The fashion industry was my focus for 10 years. I designed and produced my own line of clothing under my label “Dana Cleland” and sold to retail outlets across Canada. I was involved in an Expo ’86 Fashion Show and was also sponsored by the BC Government to showcase my work at the Toronto Ready To Wear Show in 1989 and in Montreal at the Canadian International Womenswear Show in 1990. Meanwhile I spent any spare time teaching fashion courses at Blanche MacDonald and Vancouver Community College.

I eventually closed my business to focus on my family and to get back to my creative roots and start painting again. I studied at Emily Carr very briefly in a condensed 2nd year painting course and began my journey in painting. Since then I have done some gallery shows but have focused on building my clientele by producing my own solo shows by invitation.

Tulip Delicacy

Group Shows

• 2007 – "Artists in Our Midst", Vancouver, BC
• 2007 – "Byng Community Art Show", Vancouver, BC
• 2006 – "Artists in Our Midst", Vancouver, BC
• 2005 – "Small, Smaller, Smallest:, Federation of Canadian Artists Gallery, Vancouver, BC
• 2003 – Group Exhibition, Omega Custom Framing & Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
• 2003 – “Start with Art”, Seymour Art Gallery, North Vancouver, B.C.
• 2002 – “Start with Art”, Seymour Art Gallery, North Vancouver, B.C.
• 2001 – “A Room with a View”, Ferry Building, West Vancouver, B.C.
  (juried show)
• 2000 – “Arts 2000”, Surrey Art Gallery, Surrey, B.C. (juried show)
  

Solo Shows

• 2007 – "Landscapes", Delany's West Vancouver, BC
• 2007 – "Barcelona", Vancouver, BC
• 2005 – "Spring Tulips and Provence", Vancouver, BC
• 2004 – "Landscapes, Villas and Flowers", Vancouver, BC
• 2002 – “Inspirations from Italy”, Vancouver, B.C.
• 2001 – “Italian Inspired Paintings”, Vancouver, B.C.
• 2000 – “Mixed Images”, Vancouver, B.C.