Meet Ilana Dashe | Artist/Printmaker/Art Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ilana Dashe and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ilana, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
Being a professional artist is hard work! There is so much that goes into being successful behind the scenes. It is a business like any other – takes perseverence and passion, time, heart and investment. The art does not sell itself and the joy comes from interacting with people and connecting through the work I make. It takes full time hours to create, market, concept, sell, connect and express myself and my artistic vision through ink and paper.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

Art has always been a part of who I am. My mother is an artist and owned a gallery in Bogota, Colombia before we immigrated to the US. That said, I studied design in school and only ever made art for a client– working in design and advertising for over 10 years in Orange County. But my love for design was always on the print side. When I moved to Japan and got the chance to join a printmaking studio and learn the process firsthand is when I knew I found my passion. I began making art for myself, and not a client per se. Creativity took on a whole new meaning. From learning technique and process to hanging art in local cafes in Tokyo, my path as a fine artist began. And what better place to take inspiration for my art than Tokyo– a city vibrant with action, merged with beautiful organic foliage and greens. You can see a lot of this reflected in my work. I began to love the feedback and connections people made with my work when it is up on display. Cafe walls led to group shows, and group shows led to solo shows and eventually to National Museums in Japan.

Upon moving back to San Diego almost two years ago, I knew I would begin to share my love of art and my work with SD, my hometown. I am so thrilled to be showing in galleries in North County and downtown San Diego in the Spanish Village arts center.

Learning to be a printmaker in a foreign country, from an 86-year-old sensei, with a HUGE language barrier was a challenge to say the least! But art is a universal language, and I did a lot of observing and trial and error. Making lithographs (although not so prevalent today) is extremely process-oriented and leads to wonderful results. The one-hour each way train ride to the art studio weekly was well worth it to get the me time and creative time that I oh so need in my life.

I am a Colombian/American artist making hand-printed lithographs and silkscreen prints in San Diego.

My work thus far is greatly inspired by my experiences living as a foreigner in Tokyo. In order to fulfill my artistic passion in Japan, I learned printmaking techniques locally as a foreigner abroad.

I am most known for my clean, modern designs – often using patterns in my work and unusual color combinations and juxtapositions to represent an often-seen subject in a new way.

I am most proud of my go-getter attitude! For not taking no for an answer when I was rejected from many studios and not being willing to be taught because of language barriers and cultural differences. It took a lot of courage to keep showing up week after week to the studio while raising three kids abroad with no extended family to help and keep having to fight for my place in the studio being the only American, non-Japanese speaker. Time and resources were at a minimum for me, but I made art my priority.

My work sets me apart from others because I am not a painter, and my style is unique. I use limited color palettes and simplify shapes and designs to convey a message or theme or simply make a composition that challenges. I am an abstract artist with my own point of view and style that comes across clearly through ink on paper.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
North County San Diego!

Start at Solana Beach with a walk on the beach. Bruch is a must at the Naked Cafe – I love their steak medallion tacos and honey latte! Head north up the 101 for a coffee stop at Philz in Encinitas or an Ice Cream at Cali Cream. Wander the streets in Encinitas and continue up the 101. My favorite dinner spots in Leucadia are Corner Pizza and Birdseye…YUM. Can you tell I love to eat. End the day wandering Carlsbad Village for sunset and dinner. So many fun choices there.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mother! For being that silent but constant inspiration when it comes to art. For understanding my passion for art because she, as an artist herself, has unknowingly been my biggest supporter. Every small accomplishment or stepping stone was received by her with a genuine excitement and feeling of pride and encouragement that pushes me to want do to more and reach the potential that is inside, even when its not easy.

Website: www.dasheprints.com

Instagram: @dasheprints

Facebook: facebook.com/dasheprints