Dana Johnson was born in Vancouver, B.C. and as long as she can remember was consumed with art. Early on she traveled to Europe and lived in London. This is when she got her first taste of European history, art and culture.
She studied fashion design at Capilano College and Helen Lefeaux School of Fashion Design where she graduated with the “Highest Achievement Award” in 1984. The fashion industry was her focus for 10 years. She designed and produced her own line of clothing under the label “Dana Cleland” and sold to retail outlets across Canada. She was involved in Expo ’86 and also sponsored by the BC Government to showcase her work at the Toronto Ready To Wear Show in 1989 and in Montreal at the Canadian International Womenswear Show in 1990. Meanwhile she spent any spare time teaching fashion design and illustration courses at Blanche MacDonald Centre and Vancouver Community College, and was on the Advisory Board for the Fashion Arts Program at VCC for many years.
Eventually she decided to move on to her true passion and studied painting at Emily Carr University of Art and Design and embarked on her journey in painting. She has had gallery representation and participated in numerous group shows and is an active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists.
She has donated numerous art pieces to many different charitable organizations. She spent many years volunteering with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. This foundation was close to her heart having a daughter with Type 1 Diabetes. Each year she worked with a group of children living with Type 1 Diabetes and would create an art piece for "Dreaming of a Cure". It would be auctioned at their annual fundraiser "Rocking for Research".
Her work can be seen in private and corporate collections in B.C., Alberta and Ontario.
Has Exhibited at:
Federation Gallery, Grey Area Gallery, Kurbatoff Gallery, Kelowna Art Gallery, CityScape Gallery, Omega Gallery, Ferry Building Gallery, Seymour Art Gallery, Surrey Art Gallery.
Group Shows:
2022 - "Art Rental Show" - CityScape Gallery, North Vancouver, B.C. (Juried)
2021 - "Artist's Choice" - Federation Gallery, Vancouver, B.C. (Juried)
2020 - "Ten Squared" - Federation Gallery, Vancouver, B.C. (Juried)
2019 - "Art Rental Show" - CityScape Gallery, North Vancouver, B.C. (Juried)
2018 - "Art Rental Show" - CityScape Gallery, North Vancouver, B.C. (Juried)
2018 - Group Show at Gryphon Musee (Gryphon Developments) Vancouver, B.C.
2017 - "Art Rental Show" - CityScape Gallery, North Vancouver, B.C. (Juried)
2016 - "Active Members Show" - Federation Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
2016 - PAS Parker Art Salon, 1000 Parker Street, Vancouver, B.C.
2016 - "Art Rental Show" - CityScape Gallery, North Vancouver, B.C. (Juried)
2015 - PAS Parker Art Salon, 1000 Parker Street, Vancouver, B.C.
2015 - Art Rental Show - CityScape Art Gallery, North Vancouver, B.C. (Juried)
2014 - Art Rental Show - CityScape Art Gallery, North Vancouver, B.C. (Juried)
2010 - "New Work" - Grey Area Gallery, Chilliwack, B.C.
2010 - Kelowna Art Gallery's 22nd Annual Art Auction, Kelowna, B.C.
2010 - "Art Gala" - The Canadian Food for Flowers Society, Vancouver, B.C.
2009 - "Spring Collection" - Grey Area Gallery, Chilliwack, B.C.
2009 - "Vancouver Timeraiser", (Juried) Vancouver, B.C.
2008 - "Vancouver Timeraiser" (Juried), Vancouver, B.C.
2007 -"Small, Smaller, Smallest", (Juried), Federation Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
2003 - "Start with Art", (Juried) Seymour Art Gallery, North Vancouver, B.C.
2002- "Start with Art", (Juried) Seymour Art Gallery, North Vancouver, B.C.
2001 - "A Room with a View", (Juried), Ferry Building, West Vancouver, B.C.
2000 - "Arts 2000". (Juried), Surrey Art Gallery, Surrey, B.C.