Dawn N. Ericson

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Dawn N. Ericson, a native of California, was raised on an enchanting and old avocado ranch in the rolling hills of La Habra Heights. From an early age she was passionate about drawing. Her subjects: PORTRAITS & WILDLIFE, including native chaparrals and ocean habitats. These have remained themes for Dawn’s work throughout a variety of work assignments and professional commitments: artist, illustrator, writer, designer, art director, professor of drawing, naturalist, and publisher.

This web site is a brief introduction and condensed presentation of my paintings and drawings. I work on assignments, commissions, and often in a partnership with a client. Drawings, as shown or listed here are FOR PURCHASE 

History and About:   https://dawnericson.com/about/

STORYKEEPERS Series #6: Mati Waiya of Wishtoyo 

The Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park, in the California State Park system, preserves a small sandstone cave adorned with rock art attributed to the Chumash people:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chumash_Painted_Cave_State_Historic_Park

Carrying on with renewed traditions of Chumash wisdom, creativity and a strong commitment to the natural environment , Mati Waiya is a forever STORYKEEPER.

MATI ChumashCavePortrait

STORYKEEPER Series #6: Mati Waiya of Wishtoyo, Oil on Linen Canvass, 24″ x 36″

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Oil on Wood Panels, 24″ x 24″

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2018 Mati and Dawn at WISHTOYO Foundation event in Malibu.

STORYKEEPERS Series #5: Dick van Dyke and the Black Porpoises

This STORYKEEPER Story has a Porpoise: An encounter with Black Porpoises Tursiops truncatus off the eastern coast has given Dick an extremely “entertaining” adventure. Drifting off shore while napping on his large long board, Dick was awoke to the splashing of fins. At first he feared the worst, thinking that sharks had surrounded him. “I woke up out of sight of land,” he said, “I started paddling with the swells and I started seeing fins swimming around me and I thought ‘I’m dead!’” To his further surprise, the Black Porpoise began guiding and pushing him on the board: “They pushed me all the way to shore. I’m not kidding!” These Porpoise had a PURPOSE! Bottlenose Dolphins, sometimes called Black Porpoise on the east coast of the genus Tursiops, are the most common members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphin.DICKwPORPOISE

STORYKEEPERS Series #5: Dick van Dyke and the Black Porpoises, Oil Paint and Acrylic enrichments with relief waves and splashes, painted on Birch Wood, 44″x52″ framed

This painting is BIG! A life size Dick van Dyke and Porpoises!

Mati Waiya of Wishtoyo Painting

SCREEN CLIP MATI _WISHTOYO

This oil portrait is another addition to my “STORYKEEPERS” series. And I plan to produce several more of Mati – his colorful warm spirt. It will require more than one painting to express and portray Mati’s complex and interesting personality.
I met Mati Waiya at a ENVIRONMENT NOW dinner party for Timothy Treadwell in 2001. Neither of us, as we come from extremely different backgrounds, expect to be like-minded friends for two decades and onward. Mati’s passion and work ethic has been astoundingly impressive to watch and learn.

WISHTOYO: http://www.wishtoyo.org

Hopefully Mati, and his fantastic partner Luhui Isha, may be a little impressed with my work too.

ENVIRONMENT NOW http://www.environmentnow.org

My first ‘hero’ for the marine environment:

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Julie Packard is executive director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which she co-founded in the 1970s. Julie is an international leader in the field of ocean conservation and a member of the Pew Oceans Commission and serves on the Joint Oceans Commission Initiative, where she works to implement comprehensive reform of U.S. ocean policy. Julie’s work goes beyond the edge of the ocean as she is a loud voice for science-based policy in support of healthy oceans at international conferences, including the World Trade Organization, the International Aquarium Congress and the Seafood Summit.

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/
Since the MBA’s beginnings, I have participated as an artist with publications that have been distributed via the aquarium’s bookstores. Working with the aquarium’s wonderful staff empowered my creative directions for projects including books, posters and most recently the NATURE UNFOLDING science guide series. And working alongside and with the MBA Education Departments has added energy to my work, as we educated our marine science teachers and students.

I greatly appreciate the opportunity to share my work with Julie and all California, as my ocean spirit is greatly enriches by my long association with the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

 

 

Brandon & Phoenix Painting

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Returning to portraiture – the making of portraits has been inspired by new family and friends. It has been a while since I painted in oils on canvass. And integrating art styles and techniques, mastered over decades of work is a creative challenge. Some old habits are almost impossible to avoid. Yet, bridging my strong drawing methods with the oil medium is exciting, and like an adventure into the unknown.

But, no matter my artist technique, all my art remains connected by its ever present theme: faces and eye contact. And, by painting special people like Brandon who connects with nature with his love of animals.

STOREYKEEPER Series: WATERKEEPER

This is one and the first in a series of oil painting, I hope to produce over the next two years. The purpose: portraits of friends, associates and acquaintance that have greatly influenced my work and given me a different perspective on life. Screen Shot 2016-05-16 at 3.20.38 PM

This is Robert Kenny Jr, also know as the co-founder of WATERKEEPERS.  Kennedy, during one of his many speeches, said, “Stop where you are and make a positive impact right where you are standing.”  This was especially poignant towards me and my work as I had traveled as far as the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, in the mountains of  Wolong, Chengdu, China, to meet up with project colleagues. I have no regrets, as I was working with the San Diego Zoo and was to meet up with legendary George Schaller in the exact location where he “saved” the panda and wrote his wonderful and famous book, The Last Panda in the 1970’s.
But, shortly after returning from China, where I had spent over three months, my dearest friend and business partner, suddenly passed away. Our “Wolong Panda” poster was waiting, unfinished on the computer when I began to stay closer to home. And as suggested by Kennedy, just a few months later, I started working with the Santa Monica Bay Keepers. http://waterkeeper.org/

Inger Hodgson Portrait Class

INGER & Girl PortraitMy Master Portrait Professor, Inger Hodgson generously gives portrait classes in Malibu. Inger’s classes adheres to and celebrates a method of drawing and painting called sightsize – a philosophy of seeing. She began her training in this traditional European approach to portrait painting in 1984 at the Cecil Graves Studio in Florence, Italy. Charles Cecil became her mentor, and the Charles H. Cecil Studio her educational anchor. This school offers the best training available in portrait painting in the world, unless you have the privilege of learning directly with Inger in Malibu, California. http://www.ingersportraits.com/artist.htm

 

 

Nina Delmar’s Book by Carl Safina, 2010

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DolphinsNina DelmarThis fabulous story, written by Carl Safina http://safinacenter.org/, was the opportunity to mix natural science illustrations with a bit of fiction. Based on a true story about a whale rescue, Carl wrote in the voice of Nina Delmar- a central character from my first book CHELONIA Return of the Sea Turtle. The illustrations teach as well as entertain and give grand purpose to my work.

Nina Delmar: The Great Whale Rescue http://www.amazon.com/Nina-Delmar-Great-Whale-Rescue/dp/0978541707CanyonCOLOR

 

 

Wynton’s Way by Wynton Marsalis, 2009

The brilliance of Wynton Marsalis  http://wyntonmarsalis.org goes way beyond his noble musicality. Wynton is a dedicated educator providing young musicians with clever advice on the task of music practice. His viewpoint: be honest while encouraging.

See more of Wynton’s Book, Wynton’s Way: 

https://dawnericson.com/wyntons-way-by-wynton-marsalis/

Wynton’s words enrich these illustrations in our 2010 book:

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“No matter how talented you are, there will always be things you don’t know. Your teacher can be like the captain of a ship and keep you from straying off course.”

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“I’m always fascinated by groups. It’s like a congregation in a church. You know how you might hear 300 people saying the same prayer, and they start a little out of sync and then somewhere along the way they find a group rhythm, and by the end they are together. Well, this is the essence of what group activities are about. The attempt to ‘get it together’ makes group playing and working successful.”