Patron Perspectives: Dayna Walton

In our new Patron Perspectives series, we’re sharing stories from some of the people who have spent time here at ELPL. This week, we’re highlighting Dayna Walton!

Dayna is the talented artist behind our Maker Studio mural “River Critters”, as well as the new design for our StoryTime chair in the children’s area. Although she hadn’t spent much time at ELPL until recently, she has since been able to collaborate on multiple art and programming opportunities with us, and we’ve been so excited to share her knowledge and admiration for the local ecosystem with our East Lansing community. 

Dayna graduated from Kendall College of Art and Design, earning her BFA and Excellence Award in Printmaking in May of 2019. Originally from Hudsonville, MI, she resided in Grand Rapids, Michigan from 2017-2022, where she worked with her tightly knit creative community as a full time artist and founder/owner of Solstice Handmade. Dayna has recently moved to Western North Carolina and is excited to find new inspiration and opportunities in the mountains. She travels as much as possible for events, research, residencies, art fairs, and public art projects. She is inspired by the idea that different communities can learn from each other if they exchange ideas through art. Michigan definitely hasn’t seen the last of her.

Her deep rooted passion for the natural world is the driving factor in her work, sparked by a childhood spent outside among nature lovers. This led her to practice natural science illustration and research the world around her, and her attention to detail and likeness shows in her prints, patterns, and design work. 

Watch Dayna’s full story below:

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Music: Which That is This? (long version) by Doctor Turtle, (CC BY 4.0)