Dawn Howell Artist Biography

Dawn Howell is a Texas-based artist known for her ethereal, pastel-infused paintings that
bring color, joy, and calm into everyday spaces. Her journey with color began as a baby,
sitting on her mother’s lap and watching her paint. That early exposure instilled in her a
lifelong passion for creativity. Her mother, an artist herself, has been an invaluable mentor, offering critiques and guidance that have helped Dawn refine her work and grow as an artist.

Her joyful personality and quirky energy are effortlessly reflected in her work—organically
whimsical, completely colorful, and filled with beauty. Dawn is her art; she lives and
breathes it. Dawn obtained a Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising, with minors in French and Business Administration, from Texas State University in 2004. After graduation, she further honed her artistic skills by studying Fine Art and Graphic Design at the University of Texas in San Antonio and the Southwest School of Arts & Crafts, gaining a strong foundation in color theory, composition, painting, and drawing. She has been painting daily ever since, using a combination of acrylic paint, gouache, resin, and glitter on canvas and wood panels.

Growing up surrounded by antiques, Dawn developed a deep appreciation for vintage
aesthetics, which now influences her artistic practice. She incorporates antique and resin- crafted frames into her work—replicating cherished designs from her father’s antique mall. Cameos, a nod to her mother, occasionally appear in her pieces, further connecting her art to personal history.

Statement

Dawn Howell is an artist devoted to bringing color, joy, and calm into the world through painting. As a mental health advocate, she believes in the profound impact of art on emotional well-being, creating work that uplifts, soothes, and inspires. Her paintings are a celebration of color’s ability to evoke happiness, nostalgia, and wonder, offering viewers a space to pause, reflect, and find beauty in the present moment.

Influenced by nature, dreams, and deep nostalgia, Dawn is primarily guided by color itself. She paints intuitively, allowing each piece to unfold organically rather than following a predetermined sketch. Starting with an idea or an emotion, she lets the colors lead the way,  layering soft pastels, bold neon accents, and shimmering details to create dreamlike compositions. Texture plays a crucial role in her work, adding depth and a tactile quality that invites closer engagement.

A love for the past is woven throughout her practice. Having grown up antiquing and
collecting vintage treasures with her father, she incorporates elements of nostalgia into her art. She sources antique frames and also handcrafts resin frames that replicate her favorite vintage designs, embedding them with glitter, sequins, and other sparkling embellishments. These shimmering details reflect her belief that art should bring light and a touch of magic into everyday life. Cameos, a nod to her mother, occasionally make their way into her work, further enriching the layers of personal history and sentimentality.

Dawn’s style blends the modern with the vintage, the structured with the spontaneous. Her work captures fleeting emotions and memories, preserving them in vibrant, whimsical compositions. Through her paintings, she hopes to create small escapes—places where reality softens, imagination thrives, and the beauty of color takes center stage.