Today we’d like to introduce you to Dana Harrison.
Dana, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I got into lettering in high school drafting class. I loved the structure of drawing architectural alphabets until they’d reached perfection. I practiced letterforms in my Moleskine journals in my spare time. When I got to college, I wanted to be around letterers but I didn’t know how—I dabbled in graffiti but it wasn’t really for me. I ended up taking a calligraphy class in 2015 and fell in love. I was employed as a server at the time and hated my job, and my partner at the time snarkily suggested I quit complaining and make lettering my career. Something clicked and I’ve been on that path ever since.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I think I’ve struggled with the concept of having a career in the arts. I know so many people who are making a huge impact on the world through their career paths and sometimes painting letters can seem unimportant. I’ve also struggled with finding time and/or desire to do lettering for myself. Once you make your favorite thing your job, it can be an interesting balancing act of work and play.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Dear Alphabet Lettering – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I do hand lettering, which is a catch-all term to mean sign painting, calligraphy, chalkboards, and mural work. Basically, if it involves letters, I’m in. While I can easily mimic trends, I am known for my distinct letterforms, of which I have a repertoire of about 8-10 styles I’ve created that I know and do well. I am most proud of my more recent work that feels like visual confessional poetry. I fuse my literary background with my love of letterforms to create bold, text-based pieces. It’s heartfelt and vulnerable. I thrive off vulnerability, it’s what allows for real human connection.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I eventually would love to be able to travel and paint my confessional murals. Confessional poetry was a movement in the mid-twentieth century marked by subject matter such as death, trauma, and the complications of human relationships. The poems were autobiographical and very vulnerable, which is where I see my work going. When I am being vulnerable, I feel most at ease. I plan to start painting on a larger scale which I am very excited about.
Contact Info:
- Email: letteringbydana@gmail.com
- Instagram: @dearalphabet
Image Credit:
(for the Decatur where it’s greater piece) Lynne Tanzer
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