Hey, there. You found my empathy-shaped corner of the internet! Welcome. I’m Dana Variano (they/NIghtcrawlerⓧ), and I’m a nonbinary artist, communications strategist, and cynical optimist. By day I produce creative advocacy campaigns for issue-driven organizations, and by night I draw (in pen, on paper) and bike around the Hudson Valley, New York.
Much of my artwork is a direct response to the frustration, loneliness, and complex disconnection/connection created by modern digital media.
I use visual data tools like charts, graphs, and diagrams to communicate beyond languages and cultures to explore vulnerability and distill the relationship between my emotions, fears, and anxieties, and dreams.
As a trans nonbinary artist and queer human in an increasingly fear-driven world, I also use my drawings and writing to explore the difficulties, joys, messiness, freedom and heartbreaking growth of becoming my true self.
Thanks for being here – if you’re looking for a good place to start, you can take a look around my portfolio or check out a recent sacrifice to the algorithm. You can also get some merch here. Oh, and a reminder that now would be a great time to take a deep breath.
<3 Dana
p.s. I just dropped my second zine . signs point to you clicking –>
Shows
- From The Dirt – Holding Space | May – August 2024 | Kingston, NY | One pen & ink drawing on paper.
- Made in Dolland, ft. Dolly Bellefleur (Ruud Douma) – Art Zaanstad | June – August 2022 | Zaandam, Netherlands | War rug in collaboration with Airco Caravan.
- Defaultman – Art Zaanstad | May 2022 | Zaandam, Netherlands | War rug in collaboration with Airco Caravan, Four pen & ink drawings on paper.
- fifty lady justice – PLAY room | October 2021 | Zaandam, Netherlands | War rug in collaboration with Airco Caravan
- DIYnasty Bizarre – A Love Bizarre | December 2019 | Los Angeles, CA | One pen & ink drawing on paper.
- WeRise LA | May 2019 | Los Angeles, CA | Seven pen & ink drawings on paper. Artist link | View digital gallery
Image Licensing
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 International License.
Interested in licensing an image for your website, newsletter, or training? Contact me!