Dana Rae McKinley

I've been in a creative rut lately. This project was incredibly fun to work on.

Alcohol markers, colored pencils, & ballpoint pen on mixed media paper. NFS

A couple projects...

Brain Garden. Colored pencil, alcohol markers, and acrylic on mixed media paper. 9x12"

Design for an upcoming event! Stay tuned for more details...

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I'm very excited to have a group art exhibition with and -- two incredibly talented friends! Reception will be Sunday August 10th & feature live Music from JONE, a side project of ! Homies supporting homies 💕

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Journal I customized for fun with acrylic.

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I'm in love with how this portrait turned out! I think I've found a new style to experiment with.

Alcohol markers, colored pencils, ballpoint pen, and acrylic on mixed media paper. 7x10". NFS

Details of a portrait in-progress.
I've been really pushing and experimenting with my materials, playing around with coloring styles and I think I'm finally excited to make portraits again.

Alcohol markers & colored pencils on mixed media paper.

New Casa emblem just dropped.

Be on the lookout for a couple variations for Casa's 40th anniversary this October. 🎂

Thank you, for trusting me, and encouraging my work. 🙏🏻

Hand drawn emblem, alcohol ink and ballpoint pen on mixed media paper.

Some lil guys I've finished recently.
All created with alcohol markers & ballpoint pen on mixed media paper. 8x5"

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Even in Death • Alcohol markers, watercolor, acrylic and ballpoint pen on mixed media paper. 5.5 x 8.5 in.

I've collaborated with .archibald to create a special print to benefit My Sister's place! The prints will be available all month at Casa Nueva, Bleeding Heart Boutique, Donkey Coffee, and Whit's in uptown Athens!

Here's a transcript of my story I wrote on the back of the print, that describes the struggle of finding empowerment as a survivor of assault.

CW: Discussions of SA, PTSD
The aftermath of being assaulted--the powerlessness you feel as emotions swim in your mind: the pain, the anger, the shame-- are overwhelming to navigate. Especially in a society *specifically crafted* to laugh in the face of autonomy for anyone who doesn't match the description of the most diabolical seats of power. 
I was 16 when I was first accosted in a gas station by a man who was four times my age. Not only did the emotions overwhelm me, but I felt something that I had never really grappled with before: Wrath.

Wrath is complicated, you feel guilty for feeling such intense hatred especially when accelerated by disgust & the disrespect of breached boundaries, and the violence that comes with such bubbling emotions. I hid it away for years, thinking that acting viscerally was unproductive--one impulsive, reactive move would easily destroy my life. Even if I knew, in my heart I was never to blame for these dangerous power-plays.
Years flew by. I survived several harrowing experiences with monsters I thought loved me. Who I thought were my friends. Coworkers. Therapists. Complete strangers.

And then, I discovered a new kind of wrath through survivorship: Self-advocacy. The moment that I started making enough noise about predatory behavior, I was able to find a safer community, it encouraged the people around me to also stand against a culture of misogynistic violence. 

I think that this kind of Wrath can come in several different forms; public self-advocacy is a privilege, and the privileged must rally and empower the underprivileged. We must protect one another.
I have found empowerment in wrath and activism. Letting my voice be heard in spite of the violence targeted against me. I've allowed it to radicalize me. Much like a flower breaking through concrete.