Dawn Knauer is a contemporary painter and mixed media artist currently living and working out of her studio in Atlanta, Georgia. She began her artistic training as a child in New York and spent a summer as a teenager studying art through American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) at the Royal College of Art Kensington Campus. Dawn’s unique use of balance,composition,acrylics and photography allows the viewer to see her art through their own perspective. Drawing influence from fashion, travel, pop culture and art history she creates stunning floral inspired collages. Her technique of layering images, paint and mediums creates a unique effect which draws the viewer in with the familiarity of flowers. Upon closer inspection, a theme beyond flowers is revealed – typically a juxtaposition on daily life throughout history. Her biggest influences are the works of Dutch Masters and Royal Court painters whose deep hued backgrounds allowed light to emanate from within. The process involves months of curing and hand sanding between layers. Dawn graduated with a B.A. in Fine Arts from George Washington University in Washington, DC, and an M.A. from New York University.