Dana Ellyn | Contemporary Narrative Painter | Washington, DC - Provocative Paintings. Powerful Stories.

DANA ELLYN | contemporary narrative painter from Washington, DC

NEW PAINTINGS

Expressionist portrait of a bare-chested woman holding a curved white object, inspired by Patti Smith. Textured paint in pinks and teals.

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Abstract painting of a group of ravens in blue, black, and violet tones by artist Dana Ellyn.

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Abstract painting of a group of ravens in blue, black, and violet tones by artist Dana Ellyn.

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Abstract painting of two interwoven figures with curving black lines and yellow-blue tones, symbolizing human connection.

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a seated figure in red laughing with one hand covering their face, set against a vivid yellow and blue background with a small vase of flowers.

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scared girl holding red umbrella surrounded by a blue wave and expressive wavy blue clouds

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scared girl holding red umbrella surrounded by a blue wave and expressive wavy blue clouds

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scared boy surrounded by a blue waves with frog jumping overhead

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Painting of children playing on a slide with a looming ghostlike child figure and a yellow wind-up duck in the foreground.

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Expressive portrait painting by Dana Ellyn showing a seated figure with braids and striped shirt, hands mid-motion, symbolizing transformation and process of becoming.

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Hold That Thought

16" x 20" ink on watercolor board

$140

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Portrait of a woman with a rubber duck on her head

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Painting of a DC artist at her easel overlooking a protest near the U.S. Capitol, by Dana Ellyn, 2025.

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Painting titled “State of the Union” by Dana Ellyn showing a young girl holding flowers before the demolished East Wing of the White House, with children swinging over the ruins.

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Painting titled “Equilibrium” by Dana Ellyn showing a seated woman in quiet thought with floating turtles in the sky, symbolizing balance and harmony.

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Portrait of a woman in a turquoise party hat and red shirt, her face half in shadow, expressing quiet strength and optimism.

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Portrait of a woman in a blue party hat against a red and white background, her expression caught between strength and weariness.

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Patient by Dana Ellyn (2025) – expressive portrait in bold red, capturing resilience, emotion, and quiet strength.

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A young girl clutches a patched teddy bear among other damaged toys against a pink pig-patterned backdrop.

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Painting titled Snipped (Freedom of Speech, Strings Attached) showing a child puppeteer cutting strings to silence a marionette.

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Dana Ellyn’s “Broken” (2025), a figurative oil painting from a loft bed vantage showing Matt Sesow convalescing in a chair under a blue blanket.

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Ocktoberfest inspired painting of a blond woman with braided hair in traditional German outfit holding two steins of beeer

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“Miss Sunshine” painting by Dana Ellyn of a laughing woman holding cups filled with bees and butterflies against a radiant yellow background.

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“Escaping the Hive by Dana Ellyn, a painting of a central figure breaking free from swarm and conformity of the hive mind.”

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“Miss Sunshine” painting by Dana Ellyn of a laughing woman holding cups filled with bees and butterflies against a radiant yellow background.

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PORTRAIT of a mature woman with blue shirt, black color and red stitching

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Child stands on typewriter as words become planes and doves, symbolizing journalism and art shaping perspectives.

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Painting of a woman laughing in a red chair, holding a tipped wine glass, in a turquoise room with floral curtains, inspired by DC Home Rule.

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Painting of three figures at a White House podium in elaborate, Hunger Games–style costumes, merging political theater with Capitol opulence

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ainting of a man sleepwalking through a sunny orchard with oversized apples and peaches, a window to more fruit trees behind him.

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A reimagined portrait of Uncle Vanya painted over a street banner. A man holds a bottle and glass in a forest as trees and a clock overtake him.

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Expressionist portrait of a bare-chested woman holding a curved white object, inspired by Patti Smith. Textured paint in pinks and teals.

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North by Southwest — Hitchcockian tension meets ICE farm raids in California’s fields.

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Painting of Grace Hartigan laughing with Frank O’Hara, who holds a red pen, capturing their artistic bond.

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Two women on a rocky hill, one carrying the other overhead, embody strength and joy—"We Must Imagine Sisyphus Happy"

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Woman sits curled on a red chair, facing a dog and cat in a cozy room with velvet curtains and a single exposed lightbulb.

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Woman in red sits poised in green chair, surrounded by cats, beneath a skylight. A quiet moment of strength and stillness. — Danielle in the Cats' Den
22" x 22" oil on canvas
$550

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Modern reinterpretation of Cassatt’s "Woman in a Blue Armchair"—a bold nude portrait with cats and confident female gaze.

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Blonde woman in striped shirt with a yawning gray cat on her shoulder, set against a surreal forest of leafless trees and yellow sky.

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Excited dogs race on a green runway by a marina as spectators cheer from the pier during a sunny day at the waterfront.

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Portrait of a DC woman under a jet-streaked sky, wearing a Strangelove tee and DC tattoo. A personal, political state of mind.

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Industrial bridge structure near NYC, capturing intersecting steel beams, transit, and urban decay in a bold, textured painting.

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Industrial bridge structure near NYC, capturing intersecting steel beams, transit, and urban decay in a bold, textured painting.

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GO! by Dana Ellyn – expressive painting of a crouching girl mid-laugh, caught between hysteria and urgency, with bold colors and a commanding arrow.

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Watercolor painting of a girl standing tall on a post—poised, resilient, and elevated above the noise in a moment of quiet power — The View From Here
14" x 30" ink/acrylic on mat board
$130

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Portrait of Dorothy Parker holding a martini, paired with her iconic quote on drinking and wit. Watercolor and ink, 2025

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crylic portrait of Donald Trump with a golden crown floating above—satirical take on power, ego, and perceived entitlement. — (Not) King
20" x 24" acrylic on paper
$240

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Expressive painting of Trump crowned in gold—an ironic critique of authoritarianism and the illusion of monarchy in politics. — No Kings
20" x 24" acrylic on paper
$240

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Seward portrait with painted insects and Forget-Me-Nots, on reclaimed NPG exhibit wood. A tribute to memory and resilience.

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Bold portrait of Charles Sumner with blood-tipped quill, painted on salvaged wood from the National Portrait Gallery.

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Expressive portrait of a woman with wide eyes, flushed cheeks, and red flowers in her dark hair, set against a vivid teal background.

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Girl in purple dress holding candy dots and snack, with a bowl of rainbow cereal before a cornfield under a surreal sky.

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Blindfolded woman plays chess with red and blue knights, holding a green cocktail, beside a tilted scale and draped green curtains.

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Expressive self-portrait of an artist gripping a jar of paintbrushes, with paint water spilling over her hands, evoking artistic struggle.

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more paintings →

Dana Ellyn is a full-time painter based in Washington, DC.

She typically creates several new paintings each week, posting them here upon completion.