From a young age, Dara Dodson has been passionate about drawing, and knew that she wanted to become an artist. Artistry runs in her family — both of her parents had natural talent and encouraged her to pursue her artistic studies throughout school. She further honed her skills through self-study and learning from renowned artists such as Jerry Yarnell, Richard Robinson, and master artists Richard Schmid and Ed Salazar.

Her dedication to art continues to grow as she strives to reach higher levels of mastery. She is also committed to sharing her knowledge with others through teaching and workshops.

A few years ago, Dara discovered “The Bargue Course of Drawing”, a rigorous program originally taught in prestigious nineteenth-century European art schools that produced artists like Van Gogh, Picasso, and Da Vinci. The course was exhilarating and immensely beneficial as it significantly enhanced her skills in a short period of time. Unfortunately, the course is available almost exclusively through Atelier Art Schools, which can be inaccessible to many aspiring artists. To make this transformative course more accessible, Dara began teaching it to her own students, and now offers it in workshops. She enjoys witnessing the excitement and rapid improvement in her students’ art skills as they learn to draw using this method.