Dawn Derman Art

Offering time and talents to bring hope and change in the lives of others has been an ongoing part of life for Dawn and her husband. For many years she volunteered her time working with troubled teens. Showing love and compassion is a lifestyle that is integral to who they are and is a way of life greatly influenced by their spiritual faith.

Surprising things can happen when you decide to try something new.

Dawn Derman has always had a creative side, something she attributes to her parents. Her mother’s artistic side showed up in what she produced with her sewing machine or the handcrafted decorating projects that adorned their home on the farm. Her dad’s creativity surfaced in practical innovation when he had a problem to solve or was just looking for a better way to get things done.

Dawn majored in English literature in college, but her creativity often came from her hands rather than the words in her mind. She loves bright, bold colors and enjoyed selecting and creating patterns to make hooked rugs. As a stay-at-home mom homeschooling one of her two daughters, Dawn turned her hooked rug hobby into a paying venture when she began selling her completed rugs online through her Etsy store.

In 2010, Dawn decided to try something new, just for fun. She signed up for an introduction to watercolor class that lasted six weeks. She began using the bright colors she loved in a whole new medium. “I fell in love with painting,” Dawn said. It was all she wanted to do. At the end of the six weeks, class members were given the opportunity to show some of their pieces in an exhibit. Hesitantly, Dawn placed one of her paintings in the exhibit and put a price on it. The painting sold!

With the encouragement of that initial sale, Dawn decided to add some of her watercolors to her Etsy store. She admits that listing them as products to sell helped her justify to herself the amount of time she was committing to her new creative adventure. To her surprise, her paintings listed on Etsy began selling as well.

It wasn’t long before she had paintings hanging in a local gallery, being used in set designs and continuing to sell online. Soon, she was contacted by METcolors and DiaNoche Designs about licensing her art for use on products. Now you can find Dawn Derman Art on a variety of décor products that are sold at Pier 1 Imports and in several smaller department stores. The online market has continued to be a very successful venue for Dawn, providing global exposure and generating most of her sales.

Other than her six weeks of introductory watercolor classes, Dawn is completely self taught. Unconstrained by traditional technique, Dawn has developed a very distinctive painting style. You will, of course, see the vibrant colors she loves. Although you will find typical translucent watercolor washes in some of her paintings, her signature style includes layers of strong pigments that add texture and depth to the plants, birds and flowers that she is most drawn to. Feathered fowl are her dominant subject. Her enchanting print subjects include the delightful flitting hummingbird, as well as bigger birds such as owls and a few chickens from the barnyard.

Dawn and her husband, Jim, are recent transplants to Colorado from Illinois. Both of their grown daughters are living here as well; one of them attends college at Colorado Mountain College. As nature lovers and enthusiasts for all things out of doors, Dawn and her family are well suited to the Colorado lifestyle. The beauty of Colorado is certain to influence her painting in new and exciting directions.

For the time being, Dawn is focused on her painting and the business side of her art, while her husband is working on building his own business as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs. Dawn has already connected with one Colorado’s nonprofits, Blueprintsof Hope. It is an online source of education and encouragement for those facing the cancer journey, and Dawn has contributed artwork for their website. A breast cancer survivor herself, Dawn has donated several pieces of her artwork to various cancer-related fundraisers over the years.

Offering time and talents to bring hope and change in the lives of others has been an ongoing part of life for Dawn and her husband. For many years she volunteered her time working with troubled teens. Showing love and compassion is a lifestyle that is integral to who they are and is a way of life greatly influenced by their spiritual faith.

“I am so thankful to be able to do something I love this much,” Dawn shared. “And I am especially grateful that my family has been so supportive.”

To contact Dawn or view her art online, visit her website, DawnDermanArt.com or look for her on Etsy.com and FineArtAmerica.com.