Shaina Aiyana Dunn

I grew up with a sketchbook in my hand and a desire to create. My parents modeled creativity in their respective crafts. My father with his carpentry, and my mother with her beadwork, basket weaving and quilting. I was raised with an appreciation for the handmade and I was exposed to a range of artwork. I’ve had the opportunity to work with a wide range of mediums, but clay became a favorite material of choice over two decades ago. A majority of my clay work is carved or altered after being thrown on the potter’s wheel. I carve very gestural, fluid, curvy lines that reference water and/or energy. You’ll notice this both in surface designs and in the forms themselves. The relationship of forms and how objects sit together is appealing to me. This theme is also apparent in my recent paintings. I have been inspired lately by portraiture and the relationships between individuals. Like my clay, my paintings also have very gestural, fluid, and curvy lines that reference water and/or energy while dealing with representational subject matter. Whether it’s clay or a drawing, print, or paint, I hope the viewer feels a sense of ease and a spiritual connection to the world around them when they interact with my art. We are all connected. We are all one. Life is art and art is life.

Shaina Aiyana Dunn

Learn more about Shaina’s artwork HERE