About Dawn

Dawn McVey is a self-taught artist from Kansas City, who worked from home as a graphic designer for 10 years. She then followed her love of color and transitioned from designing products on the computer to working as a painter during the beginning of the global pandemic in 2020.  Soon after she began painting colorful florals and abstract pieces, she answered the many requests she was getting for her artwork, and began selling her paintings.  

Before she began painting, she was extremely sick for 8 years as doctors tried to determine the cause of her illness, and eventually she underwent a very rare small intestine transplant.  While doctors were still trying to figure out what was causing her health issues, her husband Bart, was diagnosed with prostate cancer.  He underwent surgery and has been cancer free since 2014!

After his surgery and recovery, they were able to continue trying to get to the root of Dawn's health issues.  Local doctors referred her to Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, where they were able to determine the cause of her medical issues, but there was no cure...only treatment of symptoms.  At her sickest, she was on IV nutrition for a year and a half, and wasn't able to eat a single bite of food for 5-1/2 months.  Mayo Clinic eventually referred her to a surgeon in Washington, D.C. for the possibility of a small intestine transplant.  After much more testing, she finally received a transplant in October of 2017.  She had to stay in D.C. for 4-1/2 months post-transplant, to be near the hospital for close monitoring of her new organ.  

Since coming home in 2018, she's loved being healthy and able to work and create without pain!  God has brought her FAR and she's beyond grateful for all He's done to carry her through years of suffering, to a place of health and to fill her life with so many blessings!  She loves sharing life with her husband and best friend, Bart, and is so grateful for the sweet life they've been blessed with together.  

During all her years of illness, she made it a goal to look for joy in the midst of the suffering, and continues that today, regardless of what season in which she may find herself.  There is always joy to be found, if we keep our eyes open for it.  The Lord has blessed her greatly and because of that, joy and gratitude are common themes found in her work.

Her prayer each day is always that the Lord would teach her to paint like Him!  He is the ultimate inspiration!  And her prayer for her paintings, is that they might bring you much joy and point you to the Lord.  She hopes they'll inspire joy and gratitude in your home, as they remind you of all that you have to be grateful for, and that joy can be found in any and every season!