Dana Thomas received her art education at Rollins College where she focused on painting as a student of Tom Peterson, and the study of art history. She has exhibited at various galleries and has painted many portrait commissions. A lifelong interest in art and architecture led her to pursue civic service in Public Art and Historic Preservation; architecture and sense of place remain influential in her work.

During a 15 year career with an academic art museum, the Rollins Museum of Art –along with the tremendous growth of its contemporary collection– Thomas absorbed a high level of art knowledge and came to understand that the work of today’s most authentic artists is defined by a compulsion to express the inner voice through uniquely formed methods.

In early 2020, Thomas completed a residential immersion in abstract painting, led by Audrey Phillips, at the Atlantic Center for the Arts. Her practice is now centered on abstract and semi-abstract work in oil, acrylic, and mixed media.