Dawn Hunter

@dawnhunter.bsky.social

419 Followers 105 Following

Visual Artist, Associate Professor at the University of South Carolina, and Fulbright Scholar of Santiago Ramón y Cajal - Cajal is my muse. Primary sources from Cajal's life are the subjects of my artwork and writing. https://www.dawnhunterartist.com

Four Butterflies of the soul at the tope edge frame this vibrant, densely layered painting depicting a fantastical garden filled with oversized flowers, butterflies, vines, and silhouetted black branches that weave across the composition. Several human figures emerge from the colorful landscape, including a central woman in a blue dress surrounded by richly patterned foliage and mythic imagery. The dreamlike scene combines lush botanical forms with symbolic references inspired by Greek mythology and contemporary culture, creating a visually immersive environment that contrasts beauty with underlying themes of temptation and vice.
Pen-and-ink drawing of a young woman, Darcy, inspired by Ishikawa Toyonobu's 1741 woodblock print Girl Hanging Poems on a Cherry Tree. She stands with her arms raised, appearing to hang handwritten excerpts from one of Santiago Ramón y Cajal's final letters on the branches of a tree. Her kimono-like garment is composed of colorful symbolic patterns, including stars, botanical motifs, and heraldic imagery. Behind her is a large circular form inspired by Cajal's microscopic drawings, while a compass rose and Cajal's signature appear near the bottom of the composition.
This is a portrait of a young African American girl juxtaposed with Cajal's developing neurons of a child.
This is a portrait of Pasko Rakic by Dawn Hunter.
This is a collage image featuring seven drawings illustrating Cajal and his scientific works, along with a portrait of artist Dawn Hunter. The top row includes a drawing of the Purkinje Cell, an illustration of Cajal's first sketchbook, and a portrait drawing of Cajal. The second row features a title flyer held beneath a framed drawing of Cajal, a photograph of artist Dawn Hunter in a purple blouse, and an illustration of Cajal's retina drawing. The bottom row includes an illustration of Cajal's retinal flow drawing, an illustration of Cajal's photographic self-portrait, and an illustration of Cajal's olfactory drawing.
This is a painting by artist Dawn Hunter of seven female figures immersed in an environment of dripping paint.
Illustration of Cajal's pyramidal neurons of a duck by artist Dawn Hunter.
This is a monochromatic portrait of Cajal in pyramidal neurons by artist Dawn Hunter.
This is a Plein air landscape painting by Dawn Hunter, featuring a statue of Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez on the Paseo del Prado.
This is a collage photo of Dawn Hunter and Larry Swanson. On the left is Dawn Hunter holding Larry Swanson's Cajal Club Krieg Lifetime Achievement Award, and in the photos on the right, she is presenting the award to him.
This is a cityscape drawing of central Madrid, Spain by artist Dawn Hunter.
This is a drawing of the Kenneth C. Griffin Exploration Atrium by artist Dawn Hunter.
This is a landscape drawing of a grain silo and old metal buildings situated in front of a mountain range by artist Dawn Hunter.
This is an illustration by artist Dawn Hunter of Cajal's wife, Silveria, with two of their children juxtaposed with an image of a Madonna and a baby on the left.
Top Left: A drawing of a young African American girl with neurons, inspired by Cajal's work, by Dawn Hunter. Top Right: The same girl on roller skates next to a list of acronyms, artwork by Dawn Hunter. Bottom Left: The girl's portrait merged with an interpretation of Cajal's Glial cells, by Dawn Hunter. Bottom Right: A dual portrait of the girl in costumes; as an Egyptian to the left and as a princess with a flamingo to the right, created by Dawn Hunter.
This is a Plein-air painting of the view from the steps of the first Instituto Cajal in Madrid by artist Dawn Hunter. There are tall trees, vibrant sunlight, and purple shadows cutting across the foreground.
This is a drawing by artist Dawn Hunter of a Model-T truck set against an mountain backdrop.