People sometimes ask me, “Why dragons, Dana?”

The answer is simple.

Because they’re fun. Because sometimes real life is heavy. Because the world can be loud, complicated, and exhausting. And because pretending for a while can feel like coming up for air.

My fantasy artwork lives in the same place as the books I love. The Lord of the Rings, Fourth Wing, Twilight, and every other dog-eared fantasy novel that ever offered an escape when reality felt like too much. Reading those stories isn’t about avoiding life. It’s about stepping into a different one for a moment. One where magic exists, courage matters, hope blooms, and good still has a fighting chance.

Creating fantasy art does that for me. It’s my version of opening a book and falling into another world. A place where dragons are real, shadows have meaning, and stories don’t have to explain themselves to be true.

I don’t think I ever grew out of that childhood stage where I believed in magic. I was the kid who daydreamed endlessly, who built worlds in her head, who imagined creatures just beyond the edge of what could be seen. And honestly? I don’t want to outgrow that part of myself. That imagination, the ability to pretend, to wonder, to believe, is something I protect fiercely. And it's something I encouraged in my kids.

Fantasy artwork gives me permission to play. And play is where learning sneaks in. These creative pieces allow me to experiment without rules, to try new techniques, push my editing, blend illustration and photography, and chase ideas simply because I’m curious what will happen. There’s no pressure to be practical. No need for justification. Just the joy of creating and seeing where it leads.

Some of these images exist purely because I wanted to see if I could make them. And that matters. Because when the process stays playful, growth shows up quietly. Skills sharpen. Confidence builds. New chapters start.

Not every piece of art has to carry the weight of legacy or loss. Some stories exist just to remind us that imagination is still alive and well. Sometimes we really don't have to take life so seriously.

So why dragons? Because they make me smile. Because they invite wonder. Because for a little while, they let me step out of the ordinary and into the extraordinary. And sometimes, that’s exactly what we need.

Art. For when the stories matter.