Daily Inspiration: Meet Lindsey Dunnagan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsey Dunnagan. 

Lindsey, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I always loved making art, but like many people, I didn’t see it as a viable career path when I was younger. I didn’t know anyone who worked in the arts and didn’t know how to access that world. Instead, I majored in architecture at Texas A&M University. That’s where I became interested in immersive, full-body experiences. Architecture taught me how a built environment could translate to an impactful art experience. After working in the architecture field briefly, I realized that it may not be the right path for me. I had always wanted to join the Peace Corps, so I decided to go for it. I was sent to Morocco where I helped develop the small business of artisans. I learned to speak a Tashelheit dialect called Tamazight. It was challenging and rewarding and gave me the confidence to take the risk of pursuing art as a career. When I came back to the US, I went to graduate school for art and worked at museums. I really threw myself into the profession and slowly built my portfolio. Years later, I have been able to work on large-scale exciting art projects while teaching at a university. I feel grateful to be here and am glad that my journey was varied. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
There were some moments in the last 10 years when I wasn’t sure if I’d make it in the art world and be able to support myself. During graduate school, I built my portfolio and just started to get some public art projects, grants, and shows. Those were few and far between, but it felt like the beginning of a career. 

I was also teaching at various universities as an adjunct professor. That job came with very little security and no health insurance. One time, I had some classes lined up for the fall semester, but about a week before classes began, I was told that another full-time professor needed to take one of the classes that was slated for me. Suddenly, I was looking at the prospect of not having enough money to pay for rent. I was luckily able to get a job at Starbucks to help tide me over, but it was a very stressful way to live. That kind of insecurity is not sustainable. Even though I loved teaching, I realized that I may have to look into other professions. It seemed like the jobs I wanted in academia were transitioning away from full-time professorships and leaning into more temporary adjunct work. It was around that time that I got a tenure track professorship at Truman State in Kirksville, Missouri. I’ve loved my time here. I am able to support myself financially and pursue artistic endeavors. 

It seems like the beginning of a dream can be so tenuous. I was lucky because at every turning point when I wasn’t sure if I could continue, something came through and I was able to stay the course. Now, I can’t imagine another life. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
In my artistic practice, I use diverse techniques to explore human interactions with the natural environment. My artwork connects humanity to nature in small ways and large. At the intimate level, I tell stories of home and identity. For example, in my immersive artwork “The Journey Home Project,” I asked people to send me addresses or general locations of places that reminded them of home. Then, I printed maps of these places and painted them onto large Plexiglas sheets. These pieces of Plexiglas were turned into walls that formed a labyrinth. As visitors walked through the painted translucent walls, they may have found a location that held significance to them while also experiencing other places that were cherished. In this way, the project presented the world as a treasure and a place to discover; it intimated a deep connection we have with each other and the planet. 

On a larger scale, I consider our spiritual ties to nature. For example, in the series “Skimming Boundaries,” I visually investigated the permeable line between this world and what may lie beyond. It was rooted in my experiences with my grandmother, Willa, who battled Alzheimer’s for the last ten years of her life. The drawings and paintings showed figures traveling through forests that seem to dissolve. 

A summation of what I do in my work is investigate micro and macro personal connections through the lease of a deep love of nature. 

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Creating art and teaching make me happy. Making art is cathartic and revealing. It allows me to go to a deeper place while providing an intellectual challenge. Helping students find their unique artistic voice and showing them that they have a valued space in the art world is also pretty special. 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.lindseydunnagan.com
• Instagram: @lindseydunnagan

Image Credits:
Lindsey Dunnagan
Anna Grahlherr
Saltman Art Associates
Daniel Degenhardt