Dana Epstein grew up on Long Island, NY, and earned a B.S. in Art Education from Hofstra University. She went on to receive a Master’s degree in Studio Art from New York University. Later, she completed a degree in Commercial Interior Design at Parsons School of Design in New York City, which led to a decade-long career as a senior designer at an architectural firm. During that time, Dana worked on office space designs for clients such as Nabisco, American Express, and several prominent law firms.
Dana eventually returned to her passion for teaching, spending 23 years as an elementary school art teacher. She thrived in the classroom, inspiring young students to express their creativity across various mediums and integrating art history into her lessons. Dana was a regular attendee at the New York State Art Teachers Association Convention, where she also led workshops on subjects such as clay slab work and spirit dolls inspired by Native American traditions.
Since retiring from teaching, Dana has returned to her own art practice. She began with life drawing and gradually expanded into figurative clay sculpture, oil painting, and pastels. Her extensive travels across most continents continue to influence and enrich her work, bringing a global perspective to her artistic vision.