Student spotlight: Dana Sanmar

DANA SANMAR M.F.A. ILLUSTRATION, 2020

My love for illustration started from an early age due to my parents’ admiration for books. I was exposed early on to arts and crafts by my mom which nourished my love for creating things by hand. Meanwhile, my dad showed me how to work with different materials and the importance of being resourceful.

Because of these influences, I earned a B.F.A. in graphic design from my home country of Colombia. After working for a couple of years as a graphic designer, I decided to pursue an illustration-based career. I recently graduated from SCAD with an M.F.A. in illustration and work as a freelancer in Atlanta.

My work, consisting mostly of cut paper and digital painting, has had the honor of being recognized by institutions and international illustration competitions like Red Dot Design Award, 3×3 and Creative Quaterly. My work is inspired nature, Art Nouveau, the Arts and Crafts movement, and Surrealism.