Conversations with Abby Dawson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Abby Dawson.  

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
For as long as I can remember, I have been a creative and adventurous person. Whether it’s fine art forms, playing music, or the freedom felt in extreme sports, expression has never been an option for me- It is a clawing compulsion and a necessity. It is the way I process the world and my own life experiences. It’s an itch that must be scratched and a hunger that has to be sated. 

Like all of us, I am wildly multifaceted. I think people mostly know me for being involved in a lot of very different things. I have never subscribed to the notion of picking one hobby or one path. Why can’t I snowboard, sing and perform, play soccer and coach, paint, mountain bike, tend to land, teach classes, and engage in any other random thing that makes my heart come alive? From a young age, it feels as if we are funneled into lanes we should stay dedicated to. Similarly in art, we are told to pick one medium/niche and stick to it. I’ve never had a fighting chance at staying contained like that. There are too many pieces in this strange puzzle of life to stay in one corner. The only identity I subscribe to is that of an artist because everything we do is artistic expression in some shape or form. 

Art-making as a spiritual practice isn’t about end results, clout, or financial success. It is the understanding that creative expression is always within you, no matter what job title you hold or responsibilities you take on. It flows through the seasons and traumas of life, supporting us in ways that people cannot. Art has transmuted, reflected, and transformed heavy emotions during challenging times in my life, such as with family hiccups and an eating disorder in my adolescence. It is because of these experiences I was drawn to study art therapy, psychology, and fine art for my undergraduate degree. My primary mediums of focus were and still are clay, painting, fibers, and murals. 

Post college, a job teaching classes and planning activities for individuals with disabilities showed me how much I enjoy relaying skills and making community connections. This carried over into teaching yoga and various art-based classes across the country over the next 6 years. During this time, I had the privilege to move onto and create a deep connection with a divine chunk of land in the Irish Hills. It is here that I converted an old, cluttered breezeway into a 600 sq. ft. clay studio, where my ceramics business Divine Pine Studios was born. 

Forming a relationship with this piece of land has been one of the greatest gifts of my life. There are endless lessons intending to land that only observation, hard work, and time can teach you. It is with great responsibility and humility that I/my family have ownership over land that is not really ours- It is native land, and it is sacred land. It felt necessary to share the beauty it gives us by creating an educational and community-based event called Divine Pine Gathering (DPG). Featuring 65+ classes spanning a variety of topics, 20 music acts, free bodywork, art installations, and an artisan marketplace, it is most importantly a safe and accessible retreat into nature. This bi-annual festival is without a doubt a culmination of all my skills and a collective collaboration of many incredibly passionate individuals. It would not be possible without Phil Dawson, Gracie Toth, Tyler Dawson, and countless others who put their heart and soul into creating such a transformational experience. The 3rd DPG took place July 29-31st (2022) and was nothing but confirmation that with creativity and partnership, we can curate life-changing experiences for others. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I wouldn’t say completely smooth. I’d relate it to a downhill mountain bike trail: flowy with some surprise drops, a couple unnerving rock sections, and a handful of sharp turns for good measure. While the challenges I’ve faced are real and valid, they are minimal in comparison to the hurdles others jump on a daily basis. I consider myself extremely lucky to have landed in a time and place that welcomes the things I bring to the world. The support of my family and community goes a long way and gives me the perspective that with dedication, we really can create the world we want to live in (within our local communities, at least). 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I primarily work with clay. It’s the one art form that continually blows my mind and holds my interest. Maybe because there are truly limitless possibilities and potential, or because there are so many intricate steps to the process. Or because it encapsulates all of the elements- clay as earth, water for forming, air for drying, and fire for finishing. It is ancient in that way, and the skills feel ancestral and important to honor. 

While I do make some ornamental wall hangings, most of my work is functional wares like mugs, bowls, plates, etc. In a world inundated with ‘stuff’, making something practical and unique that people can intentionally connect to is very special to me. I like to romanticize that knowing where our goods come from is worth the space they take up in the world. We need more of that personal connection to combat the mountain of mass-produced items we are bombarded with. When I use a hand-carved spoon or a handmade cup to fuel myself, there is a particular feeling of gratitude for the care and time it took to create it, and that connection enriches the entire user experience. 

Because of that, 99% of my work is one of a kind. It is often recognized by its smooth, ombré colors and intricate line carvings. By painting brightly blended pigments I mix myself, I create unique color patterns that can be carved into or painted over. Some pieces feature additional details that reflect repetitive design elements found in nature (think pinecone scales or the spirals of an ammonite), while others have protruding small-scale sculptures such as mushrooms coming out of them. It feels strange to compliment my own work, but I’d say I’m most proud of my attention to detail. It has taken 12+ years to refine my skills and master these techniques. 

My paintings and chalkboard murals feature many of the same design elements, especially repetitive natural forms such as waves, ridges, petals, and visual vibrations. There is a consistent theme of portals, echoes, and colorfully lined layers, such as ripples shining in water. It might be described as trippy or psychedelic. While these designs are visually pleasing, I do them because they physically feel good to execute in the moment. This is the key difference in art as therapy and art as a means to a visual end. My art-making process is a connection to what is being asked of me in the moment; the visual contextualization comes afterward. 

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love living in a small town and am especially grateful for access to clean water nearby. Being from the hustle and bustle of South Florida, I grew up in a melting pot of cultures and rush hour traffic. While I do miss the diversity, I do not miss the cement jungle or crowds. Being only a few minutes away from a backwoods trail AND a grocery store is oddly special to me. I love the feeling of expansiveness and having my own space, and I also love that within an hour, I can be dancing all night long in Detroit. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.divinepinestudios.com / divinepinegathering.com
• Instagram: @divinepinestudios / @divinepinegathering
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/divinepinegathering

Image Credits
Abby Dawson
Phil Dawson