Dara Vandor is an artist working exclusively with felt-tip pen on canvas. The medium may seem ordinary at first, but once tens of thousands of tiny strokes are marshalled en masse (over hours of meticulous work) they begin to assume a life of their own. We’ve had the pleasure of visiting Dara at her studio and seeing these pieces up close; they’re absolutely breathtaking.
What meal brings you immense pleasure?
Any that is accompanied by intelligent conversation.
Which virtue do you try to cultivate within yourself?
Gratitude.
The receipts in your wallet would indicate what?
That I’ve spent the equivalent of a downpayment on green juice.
What makes you happy?
A day with no commitments.
What makes you cringe?
Ignorance, entitlement, clear bra straps.
What project are you currently excited about?
Always the next one….
What, in your opinion, is overrated?
Convenience.
What is the one thing you wish you could change about yourself?
I’d love to be able to function on less sleep. If I haven’t gotten a quality 8 hours, I’m far from my best self. I envy those people who can tick on 4 hours.
What frustrates you the most?
A lack of punctuality and carelessness: both in people’s work and in their treatment of others.
What were you obsessed with in high school?
Russian Literature, French cinema, Anais Nin, Frida Kahlo, underage drinking, riding horses, doodling, painting, and being done with high school and moving out so that I could finally start “real life.”
What have you been listening to on repeat lately?
I listen to a lot of Dan Boeckner and Spencer Krug when I work, I have for years—Wolf Parade, Divine Fits, Handsome Furs, Operators, Moonface, Sunset Rubdown. FKA Twigs is getting some major play, as are the Rolling Stones, Zeppelin—lots of 70s rock right now.
When and where do you feel your most creative?
Around water, whether it be lakeside, oceanside, or (when I’m in the city) in the shower.
How do you decide on your subject matter?
Because my work takes so much time, patience and concentration, I have to be very much engaged with the subject matter. Something has to captivate me, whether it be a new technique I want to try, or a particular detail, or an idea I want to communicate, I have to be ALL IN. Nothing less than obsession will do!
What’s your secret weapon for staying focused when working on your super detailed pen drawings? Self-discipline, dynamic playlists, snacks?
Listening to the same song on repeat for hours on end. It creates some sort of “flow” for me. I actually read recently that it’s not a quirk unique to me—it’s been studied! Podcasts also keep me engaged during long hours of repetition. But really, the secret is more banal: 8 hours of sleep, clean eating, Pilates and ultimately loving what I do.
If you could place your art in any location in the world (could be someone’s home, a gallery or public space) where who would it be?
While the obvious answer here would be something along the lines of “The Louvre! The MoMa! Larry Gagosian’s bedroom!” I have to say it’s been a great pleasure seeing where my work has already gone. Hearing from people about their experiences with my images, how their piece brings them joy is the best part of being an artist.
See more of Dara’s gorgeous work on her website or Instagram @daravandor.
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