Meet Dana Palacio | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dana Palacio and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dana, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’ve always been interested in entrepreneurship, but this business came about in a somewhat unexpected way for me. I decided on a whim to try creating watercolor house portraits as holiday gifts for my family. They were made for the fun of it, but after posting a photo on Instagram I had someone ask if I could paint their childhood home! This gave me the first inkling that this business had legs, and I leaned into it on the side of my full-time job as a UI/UX designer.

I began to expand my offerings, learning as much as I could on my own and painting new things, like pets and people and bouquets, and found more and more people interested in capturing their memories in watercolor. Around this time my chronic illnesses began to affect me more and more, and I knew that I wanted to build a career that would support my disabilities. I also found so much enjoyment and satisfaction spending my time creating beautiful things, learning how to run a business, marketing my work, and consistently trying new things.

I knew that as hard as it would be, I was passionate about not only creating a business that was sustainable but that served as a creative outlet for me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am almost exclusively a watercolor artist, and although I’d love to explore different mediums in the future, I have spent so much time with watercolor and absolutely love it. It can be so versatile and also so incredibly frustrating! I love that you can learn to control it, and you can also let it have a mind of its own and see what happens. I once heard someone say that the watercolor keeps painting itself even after you pick up your brush, and I think that’s so cool.

I love having variety in my work. My custom portrait work is focused on capturing the subject in a way that showcases their personality while also allowing the magic of the paint to add character and interest, turning the memory into a work of art. I have worked so hard to improve my portrait skills and am still always learning. I love hearing the stories from my customers about the photo or subject they’d like me to create, and I’d like to think that connection to the subject shows in the work.

My original artwork is an amalgamation of all of my shifting interests. I find lots of inspiration from other artists online, and I’m always trying new techniques and styles to see what speaks to me. My current focus is (and probably always will be, to an extent) botanical artwork. My brand name, Wild Garden Art, was inspired by a favorite childhood book, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, which highlights a garden that was given the freedom to grow wild and unruly, which is something I always like to keep a little of in my life! I think letting myself play and have the freedom to shift when it feels right has allowed me to keep creating work that feels true to me. I spent years only focusing on custom portraits, so giving myself the time and space to create original work over the past two years has given me so much joy and motivation, and the confidence that I might be able to build a solid career from my artwork.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My favorite thing about Atlanta is the variety of neighborhoods that are each so distinct and interesting. I feel like we could pick any area and find so much to explore. I feel like a fun way to get a taste of all the different parts of Atlanta would be to try and find all of the Tiny Doors! It would take you through places like Atlantic Station, Virginia Highlands, Little Five Points, all the way to Decatur, the Georgia Aquarium and the Zoo, just to name a few. If they’re looking for some classic Atlanta tourist spots, we would probably hit the Aquarium (one of the best in the world!!!), or if they’re looking for something more hip and eclectic we may stroll through Krog Street Market and then hit up Jeni’s Ice Cream in West Midtown. There truly are endless possibilities!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My biggest supporters and the people who have helped me reach this point in my career will always be my family and friends. My incredible parents, who are always on my side, with my mother (who is also an artist!) always offering an extra set of eyes to help me improve my portrait skills. She is constantly receiving texts from me showing her my latest painting and reference, and she lets me know where she sees areas to improve, and it has taught me the value in asking for help and being willing to accept it. My wonderful husband, who has been by my side for almost a decade and seen every chaotic decision and change and idea that has shaped the work I do today. He is always there to help me with my market booths and validate me when I’m dealing with imposter syndrome. And my friends who always lend me a listening ear and all the love in the world.

Website: https://www.wildgarden.art

Instagram: https://instagram.com/wildgarden.art

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@WildGardenArt

Other: https://maps.app.goo.gl/j2BoVzanJHMa9B4Y8