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Words
from the Artist,
Dawn Schmidt Ventimiglia:
"It's not talent, but the
fact that you create, whether through paint, dance, song, or
poem, that makes you an artist. If I do not make that leap to
portray what I envision in my heart, my soul will wither away to
non-existence. Portraying my version of my vision is my feeble
attempt of connecting with the Divine, my prayer, an
appreciation for all that surrounds us."
I am a survivor left with an intense awareness of my
surroundings and the subtle architecture of life within arm's
reach. I hear music in paintings...seriously.
I am, therefore, I paint...I am motivated to create when I see
the 'simply intricate' that surrounds us, so I paint forms and
colors that intrigue me. To see someone's face light up when
they 'get it' gives me a great feeling!
I strive to portray my
subjects in an intimate way, and my goal is to capture moments
that we may miss or take for granted: a creature basking in the
sun or the unhurried stretching of a wing...the beauty that is
around, and within, not only us, but also each other. I paint,
therefore, I am.
The blood that flows through the trees also flows through my
veins, and my breath will someday cradle a bird in flight. I
paint, therefore, I am. I wish for you to play daily, begin your
dreams, say 'I love you' often, eat the oranges mindfully, and
make your lives a prayerful dance of peace. Peaceful
Journeys...Pass It On."
Dawn "Madlenka"
Ventimiglia
Private
Clients
Private
collectors and bike owners across the United States, as well as
Canada, Nepal, Thailand, France, Great Britain, Spain, and
Israel.
Corporate Clients
Danville Regional Airport (CAP); Roman Eagle Memorial Home;
Little
Explorers Preschool (Madison, WI); AZ Roller Derby: Holly Would
#411; Orde Advertising; Dollylocks Salon; Indian Stuff;
Performance Plus Marine; JeckleArt; DustiCat Creations; Pier 1
Imports; Nebraska Archeology Society; BikerBuddy.net; Temple
Terrace Youth Basketball; and other corporate accounts.
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Click to go to:
Background
The Present
Accomplishments
Clients
Words from the Artist |
Dawn's Background
Dawn has been creating commissioned works since the age
of 15. She spent many years touring the Midwest and East
Coast as a musician. After "semi-retiring" from the
music business (bands
are listed below),
she opened The Sentiment Shop in central Wisconsin,
featuring antiques and her handcrafted items. She also
wrote articles and gave presentations about antiques,
music, and decorating in the area while running the
shop. After moving to Green Bay, WI, she painted signs
and billboards, as well as doing marketing and web work
for an ad agency there, all while performing in her band
and tattooing!
 She moved to Florida in 2000 with her best friend, and
they opened an imports store which also showcased Dawn's art.
People loved the good vibes in their funky shop, which
sold everything from Buddhist prayer flags to African
percussion. With Dawn's murals on the
wall, to the tiki check out stand made by her partner,
to the scent of incense, the shop had quite an
atmosphere! She did henna on clients in the store, and
attended area events in traditional tribal costume,
teaching about henna's 5000-year-old symbolism. Dawn's
life changed dramatically when she was robbed at
knifepoint in the store on April 4th, 2003. This
incident along with others, were a catalyst for PTSD
(Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)but she has found
coping skills through her great friends, music, and her
art. |
The Present
 A "few" years ago, Dawn picked up an airbrush, and fell in love
with this new medium. Her first airbrushing job was prepping and
airbrushing 40' race boats in the Florida heat! She now creates
custom airbrush art on motorcycles, furniture, and clothing in
her Virginia studio, The Kukui Lagoon. She still schedules
hand-painted murals and canvases in between airbrush projects,
and loves to pinstripe purses, ornaments, and trays. She also
creates belly dance belts and costume items using vintage Middle
Eastern coins and buttons, and she loves to hand dye silk veils
for the dancers.
Dawn has her hands full with art, teaching, hosting a TV show, events, photography,
belly dancing, motorcycle riding, playing instruments, and
writing, yet finds time for fun adventures like camping, flea
markets, or museum haunting. Dawn is an ocean lover, and enjoyed
exploring Florida beaches while living there, and treasures
memories of snorkeling in Maui and the Dominican Republic.
 She's won many awards for her
airbrush work. Her "Mermie"
motorcycle (now in CA), which is a total coverage mural of
waves, water, dolphins and a mermaid, won "Best of Show Honda",
at Biff Burger's Bike of the Year Show in St. Petersburg, FL,
which had over 100 entries. She has also won a "Top Runner Up",
and numerous second place awards at venues around the Tampa
area. Two of her bikes have appeared in major motorcycle
magazines, and her ACE Tourer
garnered a second place award in its first showing, and has also
won a "Best Overall" trophy, amongst other awards.
Dawn married JohnnyV in April, 2006, in Key West, Florida. They
moved to Danville, Virginia, in January, 2007, where they ride, build, explore, teach, and paint.
Accomplishments
 *
Dawn speaks to the Danville Art League (at Danville Museum of
Fine Arts and History) about the process and business of murals,
October, 2011. Now an honorary member of the Danville Art
League.
* Belly Dance performance at Dan River Art Works Bra Show and
Auction for a local chapter of Susan Komen Foundation (also
painted and donated a bra). Oct. 2011
* Host of
"Heart of the Arts" weekly live television program.
June, 2011. Guests have included The Danville
Symphony, Lee Sandstead of the Travel Channel's "Art Attack",
Union Street Theatre, Averett theatre department, Rankine Roth
(sculptor), Harry Aron (painting ministry), and various local artists and
performers. The show gets behind the scenes and into the heart
of the artists work.
* Judged art entries at Festivus (Dan River Art Works) along
with Kenneth Bond (Averett University) and BethAnn James.
Oct. 2011
* Member of Dan River Art Works gallery, making her first sale
just 2
hours after bringing in her tribal bowls. Sept. 2011
* Traveled to Madison, Wisconsin, to paint TEN more realistic
murals at Little Explorers (did 2000 sq ft in 2007). Murals
included Amazon, Caribbean, Andes, Tundra, Enchanted Forest, and
others. July, 2011.
*
Judged the
music entries of the Rockingham County Arts Festival, NC, June,
2011.
 *
Artist opened her Etsy shop featuring her hand crafted items.
June, 2011.
* Dawn hosted the pilot show to her live arts program,
"Heart of the Arts". 5/26/2011, where she interviewed local artist, Deb
Graham.
*
Interviewed on WMDV's Southside Central (one hour show) by Bruce
Hedrick. 5/18/2011
*
Dawn's art is featured on the cover of Danville Register Bee's
"It's All About Her" special section, May, 2011.
*
Interviewed by Star News (television) and WAKG (radio) at Art on
Main, May, 2011.
*
Exhibited at Festival in the Park, Danville, VA. 2011
*
Exhibited works at Art on Main, Oct. 2010, and May 2011.
*
Demonstrated how to airbrush portraits on t-shirts at the
Danville Art League. Dec. 2010.
*
Dawn guest hosted The Pace podcast, with a round table discussion
about women and riding.
* Dawn's
ACE Tourer wins a 1st Place
trophy at Eden Two Rivers Bike Rally.
* Her CB750 airbrush work wins a trophy at the the Tobacco Alley Bike Rally in
May 2010.
 *
Guest on thepacepodcast.com numerous times 2009/2010
discussing motorcycling and her art.
*
The CB750 bike project
with Dawn's airbrush art wins Best Paint at Bogie Burgers Bike
Night, August, 2009
*
Dawn's airbrushed and customized Honda Shadow
ACE Tourer wins Best Bike
Overall at Bogie Burgers Bike Night, Sept. 2009
*
Dawn's Honda Shadow 1100 Tourer appears in "Hot Bikes Baggers"
magazine, December 2008.
*
Exhibit of Nature and Buddhist works at the Danville Yoga and
Meditation Center, November, 2008.
*
Dawn's Honda Shadow ACE 1100 Tourer motorcycle project wins 2nd
place at the Crane Tire Bike and Car Show, Danville, VA, May,
2008.
*
Honda CB750 airbrushed by Dawn appears in 12/07 issue of "The
Horse" custom motorcycle magazine.
*
Dawn creates and maintains an online motorcycle forum for the
Danville, VA, group, River City Cruisers, 2007
*
Artist invited to display motorcycle airbrush art in Rick Doss'
Danville, VA, custom motorcycle shop. 11/2007
*
Artist and her work are featured in a Madison, WI, News 3/UPN 14
story (done by journalist Teri Barr about the
Little Explorer's Preschool).
9/2007
*
Dawn's
non-fiction book published: "Intimate Nature - Musings and
Memories Celebrating Life's Circular Journey" 4/2007
*
Exhibit: "Art on the Lawn", Danville Museum of Fine Arts and
History, May, 2007
*
Member of Danville Art League, 2007
*
Selected to be a featured artist in Airbrush Technique Magazine,
2007
*
Contacted by White Star Publishing, National Geographic's
partner in Italy, for images of her custom motorcycle for a book
on customs. Jan. 2007
*
"Mermie"
ocean bike is "Best of Show: Honda", at Biff Burger's Bike of
the Year Show, St. Petersburg, FL, March, 2006, over 100 bikes
were entered.
*
2nd place, Best Bike, Sneaky's Weekly Bike Night (2 for 2),
Largo, FL 2006
*
"Mermie" ocean bike is "Top Runner Up", Biff Burger's 9th Annual
Toys for Tots Bike Show, December 2005
*
Nebraska Archeology Society commissions artwork depicting Clovis
culture mammoth hunt. 2005
 *
Airbrushed high performance boats (including OSS's T. Werner's
40' Super Cat racing boat) at Performance Plus Marine, Largo,
FL, 2004. Also designed and airbrushed the "Colorful Round
Candies" boat, and other boat graphics there.
*
Consistently in Top Ten on ArtWanted.com, amongst 10,000+
members, 2003-2005.
*
Featured full page artist in "Creative Minds" book published by
ArtWanted.com, 2004. Dawn was selected as one of 20 artists to
jury art from several hundreds artists portfolios for the
publication.
* Juried into
Celebration of the Arts convention, Tampa, Florida, 2004.
*
Contest: "Our Florida Home" design chosen for the Tallahassee
Door Project, March 2004.
*
"Naptime" large format painting shown at Kelsey Keller & Assoc.
Fine Art Dist., Tampa, 2004
*
"Endless Journeys" photo book; "Turtles In The Mist" photo
included in anthology, 2004.
*
Exhibit: Indian Stuff, St. Petersburg, nature and Native art on
exhibit, 2003/2004.
*
Exhibit: The Rack, St. Pete. Nude paintings on exhibit -
2003/2004.
*
Exhibit at Art Arbor, Boyd Hill, St. Petersburg, 2003.
* "Artists at
Work" Native American Exhibit, Hillsborough Community College,
Tampa, one of only two non-Native Americans invited to show.
Nov/Dec/03
*
Featured guest on Madame Ani's radio show: "Ask The Blonde",
August, 2003
*
Featured in Watermark Magazine (Central FL arts/entertainment
publ.) 2002 (EDA store)
*
Interview in Tampa Tribune, 2002, 2003 (homelessness)
*
NEW St. Pete News, multiple features, 2002, 2003, (EDA store)
*
Northeast Neighborhood News, multiple features, 2002, 2003 (EDA
store)
*
Featured on Tampa television news: Ch. 10, '02 (henna art), Ch.
13, '02 (homelessness)
*
Member
of Homeless Task Force, St. Petersburg, FL, 2002
*
Featured on Bayside News, 2002, 2003 (EDA store)
 * Exhibit: Circus McGurkis, The People's Fair, St. Petersburg,
2002, 2003
*
Herb'n Yoga, St. Petersburg, 2002 (henna art presentation)
*
Viva La Frieda, Tampa, w/The Tribe, 2002, 2004 (henna art
presentation)
*
Exhibit at Java Jane's in Gulfport w/The Tribe, 2003 (tribal
accessories)
*
Featured on Downtownpete.com, 2002, 2003 (EDA store)
*
Local Bellydancing Winter Hafla 2002 (henna art presentation)
*
Listed in St. Pete Downtown Map and Guide, 2002 (EDA store)
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Featured on Sterling Powell's "Art of Living" website, 2002 (EDA
store)
*
Opened Eclectic Dawn Arts imports store in St. Petersburg, FL,
with Michelle G. 2001
*
Wisconsin Poet's Calendar, "Sparrows on my Porch" poem
published, 1995.
*
Chamber of Commerce "New Business of the Year" 1991, "Service
Award" 1992, Waupaca County
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Published in various WI newspapers, short articles, various
topics, '90-'96.
*
Owned/operated The Sentiment Shop (antiques and hand crafted
goods) in Manawa, WI. 1990 - 1996
*
Exhibited and sold antiques & hand crafted items at various
shows across Wisconsin, 1990 - 1996.
 MUSIC:
Dawn taught herself to
play guitar at 11 years of age, around the same time she started
playing keyboards and clarinet. She has performed solo and in
various bands (guitar, keyboards, vocalist), and toured
throughout the Midwest and East Coast, since the early '70's.
Bands: Couzins, Sweet Ash, David Christopher and Night Scream (1
record), White Witch (all 4 based in the Fox Valley, WI);
Uptown, Paradise, Sister Max (previous 3 based in Minneapolis,
MN; Roadhouse, Deb-on-Air,
Hijinx
(1 record) (3 bands based in Green Bay, WI); Sister Sweetly
(northern WI). Dawn is the only female rocker to win the WAPL
Battle of the Bands, and her band, Hijinx, headlined the first
Memorial Fest in Appleton, performing in front of 14,000.
She also has done many voice-overs for commercials in Green Bay,
and performed a solo tribute show appearing as Marilyn Monroe,
Cher, Stevie Nicks and Janis Joplin. Her bands have backed up
such groups as Survivor, Robin Trower, Pat Travers, Danny
Johnson and the Bandits, B*tch, Kenny Loggins, and even the
Mommas and the Poppas. Dawn has one
solo CD out, and is currently
working on another. She plays guitar, ukulele, clarinet, sax,
mandolin, piano, didge, Native flute, and klong yaw, and teaches
guitar and piano. She is also learning to play harp and violin.
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About
the Artist