So, who am I to tell you how to live?
I’m Dawn-Marie deLara. I grew up in Eastern Oregon, lived in Alaska and Minnesota for most of the last 34 years, and am now back in Oregon, where I split my time, when not traveling, between the Portland area and my home town of Baker City. I’ve been an artist all my life, though it took me until well into my career to comfortably call myself this. Along with the decorative interior stuff you see on this website, I’m also a writer, illustrator, and rather magically inclined, though you’ll have to read about those things on my other website, and links from it, dmdelara.com.
My mural painting and plaster sculpting career has its roots in the sign industry. At 19, I bought a small sign shop, in the days just before computers took over all things graphic. My first business lesson was the shocking realization that not everyone who sells you something will deliver on it. This was discovered when I arrived for the first of ten days of sign painting instruction, to find that my mentor had left town in the night with most of the tools he had sold me, and a sign order on the easel that needed to be delivered in less than a week. At least he left me brushes and back issues. After a few minutes of tears, I picked these up and started to teach myself the lettering, classic faux finishes, and illustrating in oil paints that were my stock in trade long after other sign companies went to computerized vinyl.
Then, way back in 1997, I moved to Minneapolis and switched gears a bit. At the same time I landed a full time job with an event company, I picked up a part time gig demonstrating decorative painting tools. As much as I loved my position as art director, formally titled “Goddess of Glitter”, my love of interior design pulled me more and more toward the faux finishing career that demonstrating the Woolie tools had opened up for me. I eventually got so busy with faux and murals that I let go of the party décor position, though to this day if a wall client asks, I’ll often do the decorating for their family weddings and parties.
That’s sort of how it goes when you hire me. I’ve been told I’m something of an addiction, though I like to think I’m more of a delightful trick up a client’s sleeve. I’ll happily plaster and paint your dining room, and then arrange the flowers and letter the place cards for your first dinner party in it. I don’t want Martha Stewart’s career, but I love creating that sort of detail for folks who appreciate it, but may not themselves have the time or skills.
There’s a little something else you get with me, that’s kind of hard to put into words. When I work for you, of course you get the artistry you contracted for, and you get the added value of my design expertise in selecting colors and other elements to bring the whole room together. You also get a bit of my mojo, in the form of my intuitive help with decorating, and my exuberantly peaceful (that's not an oxymoron!), positive way of being. By the time I leave, you’re likely to find yourself doing creative projects you thought you couldn’t tackle, or looking at life through sparklier lenses. Can't imagine what I mean? You’ll see.
If you think of anything else you want or need to know about me or my qualifications, absolutely feel free to ask me. You can contact me by email: [email protected] , or by phone: (952)228-1914
If you like, you can check out my blog, theartofthehome.blogspot.com , to see what's new in decorating and domestic arts. It has everything from my latest walls, to crafts, recipes, and small town musings.
My mural painting and plaster sculpting career has its roots in the sign industry. At 19, I bought a small sign shop, in the days just before computers took over all things graphic. My first business lesson was the shocking realization that not everyone who sells you something will deliver on it. This was discovered when I arrived for the first of ten days of sign painting instruction, to find that my mentor had left town in the night with most of the tools he had sold me, and a sign order on the easel that needed to be delivered in less than a week. At least he left me brushes and back issues. After a few minutes of tears, I picked these up and started to teach myself the lettering, classic faux finishes, and illustrating in oil paints that were my stock in trade long after other sign companies went to computerized vinyl.
Then, way back in 1997, I moved to Minneapolis and switched gears a bit. At the same time I landed a full time job with an event company, I picked up a part time gig demonstrating decorative painting tools. As much as I loved my position as art director, formally titled “Goddess of Glitter”, my love of interior design pulled me more and more toward the faux finishing career that demonstrating the Woolie tools had opened up for me. I eventually got so busy with faux and murals that I let go of the party décor position, though to this day if a wall client asks, I’ll often do the decorating for their family weddings and parties.
That’s sort of how it goes when you hire me. I’ve been told I’m something of an addiction, though I like to think I’m more of a delightful trick up a client’s sleeve. I’ll happily plaster and paint your dining room, and then arrange the flowers and letter the place cards for your first dinner party in it. I don’t want Martha Stewart’s career, but I love creating that sort of detail for folks who appreciate it, but may not themselves have the time or skills.
There’s a little something else you get with me, that’s kind of hard to put into words. When I work for you, of course you get the artistry you contracted for, and you get the added value of my design expertise in selecting colors and other elements to bring the whole room together. You also get a bit of my mojo, in the form of my intuitive help with decorating, and my exuberantly peaceful (that's not an oxymoron!), positive way of being. By the time I leave, you’re likely to find yourself doing creative projects you thought you couldn’t tackle, or looking at life through sparklier lenses. Can't imagine what I mean? You’ll see.
If you think of anything else you want or need to know about me or my qualifications, absolutely feel free to ask me. You can contact me by email: [email protected] , or by phone: (952)228-1914
If you like, you can check out my blog, theartofthehome.blogspot.com , to see what's new in decorating and domestic arts. It has everything from my latest walls, to crafts, recipes, and small town musings.
