Jessica MurdochEvery once in a delightful while you come across an individual who is so unapologetically bold and creatively daring in how they live and work and play that you cannot help but feel inspired by their vivacious presence and vibrant energy.
Meet local artist: Dayna J. Collins.
With a bob of brilliant red hair and a contagious smile, her positive presence in the Salem art community has spread far and wide over the years. She now has three studios from which she works, depending on her focus or mood, she says, including the Alley Art Studio (her Special Projects Studio at Willamette Heritage Center) and her two home studios.
“My painting studio is at home where I have a bright, airy space with northern light and a vaulted ceiling,” Dayna says. “In 2012 I was introduced to oil and cold wax, and I was immediately smitten, so my home studio is filled with large boards and the sweet smell of oil mixed with beeswax.”
In beautiful contrast, her basement is “stuffed with rusty metal, reclaimed wood, and salvaged scraps with work tables, tools, and poor lighting.”
Calling Salem home for 40 plus years with her husband and biggest supporter, Howard, Dayna has watched the city grow and change, and has found the latest cultural awakening most invigorating, especially for the art community and overall culture.
“It seems like Salem has been experiencing a renaissance during the past five years,” Dayna comments, “so there is even more to love about it. My favorite part of Salem is downtown. But it’s also the pieces: Saturday Market, Riverfront Park, Bush Park, Salem Art Association, Willamette University, Hallie Ford Museum of Art, The Studios at Mission Mill. All of these make Salem a cool place to live.”
This Salem Renaissance has helped local artists reach a higher level of exposure and appreciation from the public. For self-taught creatives like Dayna, this kind of love from the community has put her artwork on the map. Like many artists, Dayna cares very deeply about the need for public and private art: “It allows for the expression of emotions and life to be interpreted however someone wants,” Dayna explains. “Art ranges from graffiti to the refined; it can be powerful, communicative, emotional, and personal.”
Yet despite her obvious talent and passion for the art community, Dayna wasn’t always in the creative scene—she kind of stumbled into it in a happy accident. With an extensive career background in administration, health, politics, education, and drug and alcohol counseling, she happened upon art later in life as a result of introspection through “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron. Once Dayna got a taste of the artistic process, though, she began taking classes and exploring mediums in the search for a challenge fit for her diverse approach to creative expression.
Through her studies, Dayna unearthed a love for abstract oil and cold wax, found object art, and salvage collage. With her abstract work, some of which is featured with this article, the process is quite involved—with layers upon layers of paint, plaster, and cold wax all blended through painting, sanding, staining, scraping, scratching, and, as Dayna says, “scritching.”
“The found object part of my art work includes creating assemblages in wood boxes as well as what I call ‘Curious Elements,’” she continues. “The short version is I do a lot of junking for rusty and interesting bits, then create vignettes.”
As for her “Salvage Collage” works of art, which are housed at Dayna’s Willamette Heritage Center studio, she uses paper and black-and-white photos of strangers, now expanding the medium to include her latest obsession: vintage hardback and paperback books in every condition and every hue.
And that’s Dayna. The woman is—in a word—colorful. She is a kaleidoscope of personality and spontaneity. Her art and her method reflect the most intimate version of her spirited self, and she is fearless when it comes to sharing her artistic expression with the world, making no apology for the outcome: “Taking an idea and expanding upon it, with twists and turns along the way, and ending up with something entirely unexpected, is the thrill of the process.”
FAST FACTS:
First medium of choice vs. current medium of choice? Collage and found objects vs. abstract painting with oil and cold wax.
Most meaningful art show? My first show that made me verklempt was in 2013 at Guardino Gallery in Portland. That show, “Beneath the Surface: Searching for Memory,” was about my dad’s battle with Alzheimer’s, and all of the pieces were created using layers of oil and cold wax.
Favorite art tool? A goobered up, painted, wooden-handled awl.
Favorite place to go for inspiration in Salem? I’m inspired by water and love the meandering streams that run throughout Salem.
Why art? I’ve been in recovery for over 18 years, and art helped save my life. Through my art, I am able to communicate the depth of my feelings and personality. I use different forms and materials so my eclectic nature can find a voice for expression.
Where to find Dayna: https://www.daynajcollins.com/
This story originally ran in Press Play Salem issue 2 (Aug/Sep 2018)
The Instigator
Carlee Wright
