Meet Dana Laag (DAL)

Hi Dana , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
As I mentioned in a previous story, things were not always stable for me or my family, and imagination and creativity have always provided me with not only the ability to cope, but also the ability to maintain and act on my dreams. I have always known that there is a part of me that loves to nurture others, and at first I thought that looked something like being a therapist or an educator. I pursued a degree in neuropsych and art simultaneously to potentially become an art therapist, but with education costing what it does, after obtaining my bachelor’s, I took the first position available that offered me a job accompanied by a master’s degree. That job was teaching for a Montessori school. I had worked previously as a contracted Waldorf educator, teaching a slew of not-so-traditional and very hands-on courses, like gardening and astronomy. I also taught math to all levels there. It was fun, but chaotic, and left me craving something a bit more structured. Upon finishing out my first school year at Waldorf, I was offered the Montessori position, teaching a mixed classroom of first through third grade. I completed a summer education residency for the program, and really clicked with the theories and studies of Maria Montessori. She believed in the ability for children to reach their highest potential by being provided freedom of exploration within a controlled environment, and with specific learning materials at their disposal. This way, the child could repeat a lesson as many times as they wanted/needed to in order to reach understanding, fulfillment and joy in their personal growth.

It seemed pretty utopian, and turned out that though it was amazing in theory, this style of learning is not for everyone. I watched many of the students struggle, and witnessed the teacher who I was assisting glaze over issues to their parents in order to maintain private tuition payments. She silenced me if I tried to interject, and forced me to standby without the ability to comment in parent teacher conferences. After completing five months in their program, my experience led me to leave the school and private education forever.

After this, I felt like a failure for a long time. I was raised to be grateful for the things I am offered, and having abandoned a free master’s degree, I wasn’t really sure of my next move, but I knew I felt shame about leaving the program. I took a barista position in the heart of downtown Sarasota, and served coffee for the next four years. Though it doesn’t sound all that amazing, this is when my dreams started coming back into focus. At the time, Sarasota was still affordable for young people and the downtown area was a true blend of young, old, rich, poor, artists, young professionals, and other every walk of life you could imagine – and they all got coffee at that shop. Without the stress of a 50 hour work week and an after hours grad program, my painting practice and creative expression in general flooded back into my life – I grew into a new phase. I was embraced by the downtown community in such an invigorating way, and after I showed my work for the first, very terrifying time, the feedback and encouragement I received was profound. It changed my attitude, and allowed me to feel confidence in my creative pursuits, both visual art and music. Alongside my partner at the time, I started performing music all over Tampa, St Pete, Sarasota, and Bradenton, as well as participating in as many art events as possible and churning out work. I taught myself digital design, screenprinting, guitar, and learned how to speak about my craft and represent myself confidently. In 2019, I started my business, DAL Haüs, to provide artistic services and custom artwork, leaving the cafe in 2020. Since then, I have been painting murals full time in public and private spaces, and helping people actualize the visions they have for their homes and businesses.

So I guess my purpose really came into my life when I abandoned the misaligned ideals and norms that were keeping me bound to a career in the more traditional sense of the word. When I really leaned in to living as authentically as possible, and without the constant worry of being a ‘failure’, success found me through my own passions and drive for survival. My business has now been established for a few years, and as of this year, I feel like I am finally thriving in a way I never dreamt possible. I will forever be learning new skillsets and pushing myself to keep growing, but if I could give one piece of advice to anyone it would be to understand the principles that make you who you are and never, ever, ever abandon them. Sticking to the course that feels most authentic to you will bring the people and opportunities into your life that reflect those values and reinforce those goals.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I work as a muralist serving SW Florida, and help homeowners and business owners achieve the visions they have for their spaces. It’s an exceptionally fulfilling moment when a job is complete and my clients feel overwhelmed by the joy of something I have provided for them with my own hands. There is a really pure and satisfying feeling that comes from creating something from nothing, and watching it transform a space. In a time of hyper-modernity and AI generated art, it helps me remember the purpose and power of real art, the time it takes, and what it can do – whether that’s painting a sentimental memory for someone, or generating a captivating form of free marketing for a new business – it’s powerful stuff.

Since we last spoke, my social media has been hacked, so my current endeavor, and one I’m not the best at, is regrowing my online audience. My new instagram, @DAL.Haus, is where I am now posting work and events, and the walls I paint will be branded with that new tag. DAL is my artist signature derived from the initials of my full name, Dana Amber Laag, and DAL Haüs is the name under which I operate my business.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

One of my biggest issues is always second guessing my work, or feeling like something isn’t ready to be shown. I have learned that simply by putting something out there, you can often find the feedback and community you need just by taking that leap. You can always rework old work, so by all means, leap. Also to be patient, and don’t let some made up timeline determine your value. Growth is not necessarily linear. Not everything you do will be your greatest, but you can’t let fear or pressure dictate who you are as a creator – embrace the journey of creation, and remain inspired by always finishing the things you start. My last sentiment is definitely to support each other, and be willing to bounce around with others who are doing similar things to you. I definitely work best in periods of solitude, so I’m reminding myself this all the time.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
I am currently facing the challenge of staying balanced. Painting murals is a lot of hard work – it’s designing, planning, climbing around on scaffolding and ladders, holding your arms over your head for hours, fitting into awkward spaces, meeting with clients on their time, standing your ground on your worth, and being in 100 degree weather for 8-12 hours at a time, hoping it doesn’t rain. It is so important to be physically ready for this lifestyle, and the busier my business becomes, the harder it is to make time for staying strong and healthy in between. Im currently working on getting back to the personal routines and practices that provide me with enough sustainable, healthy energy to get through each day and into the next. I have to start my day correctly, make time for exercise and yoga, and save enough time and energy to actually prepare the right foods for my body so I don’t have bad reactions or skip eating altogether. I am hoping to get in a good groove to help my body heal from injuries and weakness, but it can be tough to stress the importance of this when people have deadlines, so I am working on setting boundaries for better balance.