We’re looking forward to introducing you to Dana Satterwhite. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Dana, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Sometimes I feel a twinge of guilt when I’m applying creativity to something that falls outside my day-to-day. But the truth of it is, my wheels are always turning. Of late, I’ve been conspiring with a group of artists and creatives, sharing knowledge, techniques, advancements, and inspiration. That brings me joy. We call ourselves Art School Giants.
I attended art school for but a single year but it was by far the single most impactful year of my life. That summer, I found advertising. Moved cities. Made life-long friends. Met my future wife. Was living on my own for the first time. The art school piece of it, though, stuck with me. I’ve long taken issue with the term “starving artist,” maybe especially because I know several artists who have been incredibly successful, in all the many ways that success may be measured. I want to use whatever bit of influence I may have to counter that narrative and encourage kids (and even adults) to lean into creativity wherever they can. The art school environment was wholly liberating. The playing field was, by all measures, level and we students were bound by our desire to make. That was it. All the other differences between us that people get caught up on daily faded to the background and were never introduced to the conversation. It was simply about the purity of the desire to put beautiful, smart, innovative, inspired solutions out into the world. Tapping back into that mindset and being connected with like-minded folks who show an inordinate amount of traditional and non-traditional skill brings me nothing but joy.
With the advent of AI among other things, there’s a bit of uncertainty around art and creativity at the moment. There’s strength in numbers and we would like to position ourselves as a resource for fellow artists and future artists who may not have a community or who may simply be trying to find ways to make what they love to do sustainable.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Earlier in the year, VoyageKC magazine was kind enough to give me an opportunity to share a bit of my personal story—what I do professionally, personally, creatively and, in an abbreviated form, how I arrived at this place. Here again, I find myself with the chance to expand upon that a bit more. Ever grateful.
Professionally, I am a Creative Director, working for KC-based advertising agency BarkleyOKRP. I help lead communications for a number of brands across various categories including casual dining, healthcare, finance, entertainment, agriculture, and beyond. I get to apply myself creatively in the workplace and outside of it. For this reason, I consider myself very fortunate.
I’ve often been described as a connector. Whereas some curate art, I often curate friends and experiences. I learn of one person doing something interesting in a given space and my mind can’t help but make an association with someone or several someones maybe doing or going through similar. For me, it’s kind of a game or a challenge, like chess or Tetris, to see how pieces fit together or telegraph the most effective series of moves. But here, it’s about putting people in touch simply for the benefit of all parties, to see what comes of the connection. In its purest form, it’s natural networking and not forced.
I hope I’m still climbing on my path, but regardless, have benefited along the way from the kindness of others, so it’s only right that I pay it forward and do my best to return each and every favor.
None of us is here for very long. I think our purpose in this life is to learn, teach, inspire, and entertain one another while we’re around and, perhaps, once we’re gone. And all of that can be distilled down to where and how and why we engage with one another. Relationships are everything. I think one of the things that serves me is my ability to see the potential of these relationships and then make the connection.
If money were no object and I could do anything, it would be travel. I would want to experience as many places and cultures as possible. My kids are getting a little older and I want to instill in them the value of a global view and an understanding that there are thousands, millions, literally billions of perspectives beyond our own. It’s grounding and humbling to be reminded of these things.
And in these travels, I think it’s valuable to discover or at least acknowledge, perhaps through food and maybe even tradition, how similar we are. My opinion—we’re all connected.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I’m not a big fan of labels and I feel generally that people are hardwired to need to categorize and compartmentalize everything or, perhaps more accurately, everyone. This has never sat well with me. I don’t do well with that at all. In fact, I love surprises and, while maybe not a textbook rebel, I’m a pretty staunch proponent of going against the grain and keeping people guessing. You think you know me? You’re pretty certain you’ve got me all sized up? Me thinks not.
So, for that question, I’m not really aligned with the notion of the world telling me or any of us who we have to be. In fact, I’d contend it’s quite the opposite or, at least, it should be.
It’s not for the world to decide who we are. It’s entirely up to us.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
I lost my dad in 2018 to bladder cancer. That, for sure, did a number on me. In his wake, I found myself spiraling a bit, feeling without purpose and completely rudderless. I was clinically depressed, finding it nearly impossible to derive motivation from anywhere and having a hard time climbing out of bed. Even something as simple as visiting the grocery store with a 3-item shopping list seemed insurmountable. If you’ve been through it, you likely understand the gravity of losing a parent.
Time and space make things easier, though the loss never goes away. I wear his fraternity ring on my finger as a way to remain eternally cognizant and connected.
A little before the pandemic set in, I began drawing again and, daily, committed myself to that practice. It was incredibly cathartic and helped lift me from an incredibly dark and heavy place.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
There are a few things friends might say matter to me.
Those who know me well understand the value of integrity. I mentioned my dad previously and he was a man of utmost integrity. Quiet. Calm. Easy-going. Moral character as deep as could be. I like to think a little of that rubbed off on me. In truth, how we treat others and how we proceed in this world is everything. To me, the depth and authenticity of our friendships and relationships mean the world.
Not far behind that would be follow-through, attention to detail, and grammar. These days, it’s easy to use shorthand to communicate by way of texts or social and, occasionally, bending the rules is in bounds. It’s okay to break the rules so long as you know the rules. For me, especially as a writer, capitalization and punctuation reign supreme. Language is the basis of everything so, even if you’re taking liberties, it’s important to get it right.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
When I’m no longer a part of this world, I don’t really care what people have to say about me but, if they’re going to say anything, I hope it’s that I was doing my best to make a difference. I recognize that none of us can change the world on our own and, even with progress that we see, there are setbacks and roadblocks. We aspire to impossible goals like absolute peace and ending world hunger or homelessness. I know, sadly, those things will never be achieved. But the audacity to pursue them is wholly necessary to make things better in lieu of attaining an always-just-beyond-our-grasp perfection. I would love people to believe in earnest that I was committed to humanity, bringing humans together, and people simply finding ways to set aside their differences, lean in, and love one another.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://artschoolgiants.com
- Instagram: @quiverd
- Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/danalsatterwhite
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/danasatterwhite
- Other: gogogreta.com / greatamericanpeacemeal.com / tastyspacelv.com / danasatterwhite.com
Image Credits
Photo of me: Memo Garza
All other photos: Dana Satterwhite
