Where Light Meets
the Canvas

I'm DawnE, a pastel painter based in Fayetteville, Tennessee. I paint the things that stop me in my tracks — the way ocean light splits the horizon at sunrise, the stillness of a bird before it lifts off, the particular way a flower holds color after rain.

Soft pastels are my medium because they let me work with pure pigment and light at the same time. Each painting is built up slowly, layer by layer, until the image feels alive on the surface.

My studio time is also my respite — I'm a caregiver for my husband, a 100% disabled veteran. Painting gives me a place where beauty is always possible, and I want to share that with you.