Jeanne Dana Studios
Artists/Designers/Innovators
Jeanne and Dana have been self-employed full time as silkscreen/paper artists, sculptors, and painters since 1987.
Early Beginnings
Jeanne was born in Hermosa Beach, CA, as the daughter of a cookbook author/food writer and father a master drafter, painter and sculptor. She began designing greeting cards when she was about 3 or 4 years old. During her childhood Jeanne wrote poetry and hundreds of songs, singing them while playing piano and guitar. She taught piano as an early form of income and further honed her musical talents at California State University of Northridge (CSUN) where she graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Voice & Music. After graduating college, she continued to perform and teach music but found herself spending more time designing, painting, and selling hand made cards to dozens of local stores.
Jeanne was born in Hermosa Beach, CA, as the daughter of a cookbook author/food writer and father a master drafter, painter and sculptor. She began designing greeting cards when she was about 3 or 4 years old. During her childhood Jeanne wrote poetry and hundreds of songs, singing them while playing piano and guitar. She taught piano as an early form of income and further honed her musical talents at California State University of Northridge (CSUN) where she graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Voice & Music. After graduating college, she continued to perform and teach music but found herself spending more time designing, painting, and selling hand made cards to dozens of local stores.
Dana was born in Los Angeles as the son of a New York salesman/interior design artist and mother a social worker. His interest in photography and darkroom work began in elementary school and he continued to study a large variety of arts and sciences throughout his youth. He began playing musical instruments at the age of 7 in 1962 and performed in rock ‘n roll bands, concert, and jazz groups throughout grade school. Skilled in electric and classical guitar, saxophone, and other woodwind instruments, he eventually began conducting and composing for full orchestra during his time at CSUN where he received a Masters Degree in Classical Music Theory/Composition. Dana met Jeanne in 1979 at the coffee machine in CSUN's Music Department and Jeanne Dana was born.
Hand Silk-screened Greeting Card with 12-colors
Greeting Card Logo From
1979 - 2003
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Jeanne Dana Greeting Cards
After graduating CSUN, Jeanne continued to design and sell greeting cards while Dana studied Data Processing, working as a Computer Production Technician for First Interstate Bank and a Production Analyst at Flying Tiger Airlines where they spent over five years traveling the world with their newborn daughter, Evelyn. Dana left Flying Tigers when their son, Zachary, was born and began helping Jeanne with the blossoming greeting card company. Through the 90ʹs, Jeanne Dana’s design skills, creative, and artistic energy blossomed and matured in their studio located in the high desert of Los Angeles County. They traveled the west coast with their two children selling their greeting cards at thousands of arts and crafts festivals. By the year 2000, Jeanne Dana Greeting Cards had sold over 3 million handmade silk screened greeting cards and brought happiness and beauty to thousands of wonderful people everywhere. |
PaperAndStone
With the growth of the internet came a steady decline in the use of greeting cards. Always innovating, Jeanne Dana began to create cast paper sculptures and paper mache art from their old greeting card scraps. Plaster was added to the paper castings to make them more durable and they started incorporating novel coloring and waterproofing techniques in the process. These experimental designs were the foundation of their new company, PaperAndStone. Some of their early designs are still in use today. Over the years they have replaced paper with more advanced, natural and composite materials that allow the pieces to last for hundreds of years. In the 21st century, Jeanne Dana’s art has become more architectural, being further influenced by more contemporary designs.
With the growth of the internet came a steady decline in the use of greeting cards. Always innovating, Jeanne Dana began to create cast paper sculptures and paper mache art from their old greeting card scraps. Plaster was added to the paper castings to make them more durable and they started incorporating novel coloring and waterproofing techniques in the process. These experimental designs were the foundation of their new company, PaperAndStone. Some of their early designs are still in use today. Over the years they have replaced paper with more advanced, natural and composite materials that allow the pieces to last for hundreds of years. In the 21st century, Jeanne Dana’s art has become more architectural, being further influenced by more contemporary designs.
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Today's Studio
After participating in 3000 art shows and touring for over 30 years, Jeanne and Dana no longer travel to fairs and festivals. They have signed and sold over three hundred thousand original sculptures and paintings. Their art is widely available in hundreds of stores and galleries nationwide. Jeanne Dana’s unique, innovative, and influential artistic style continues to develop and grow in their new Coachella Valley-based studio. After traveling with them and helping the company for years, their children have moved onto their own careers. Daughter Evelyn , a PHD in organic chemistry works as a federal chemical safety manager at UC Berkeley, CA. Zachary, BA in Chemical Engineering is an artist, Certified Cicerone (beer sommelier), writer, designer and consultant in the craft beer industry. He has nearly a thousand beer articles published and is the Managing Editor of the Montecito Journal. |
Jeanne Dana's passion for fine art, music, and science is further enriched by their love of travel, entertaining, gourmet foods and beverages, which they share with their amazing children and family. But most of all, they are fueled by their love of people and life, and the opportunity to share their art with them.