Meet New Visual Arts Faculty
![Dana Len](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/articles/2017-10/October%20photoshoot%20-%204769921.jpg?itok=yst9ksFC)
There’s a new member of the Arts Department this year who’s bringing her talents to the visual arts program. Dana Len finds herself back in the classroom after taking a break to move her family here from Hawaii three years ago. Len had worked for many years at Punahou School in Honolulu.
She says Overlake’s artistic vibe was apparent when she visited the campus. “The artists on campus are respected,” explains Len. “The sense of community really drew me in.”
Len teaches drawing basics to middle schoolers perhaps just beginning an interest in art. But she hopes that even an introduction to art can instill an appreciation that can last a lifetime. “Artists don’t just paint pictures and put them up; artists have a place in all industries and exist in so many different capacities,” explains Len. “An artist designed these buttons on a shirt. An artist designed the textile used in this book cover.”
When she’s not teaching in the art barn, Len is working out of the front office assisting the Admission Department with the busy admission season. Len pulls on her years of experience in independent schools and is able to provide insight from a faculty perspective. “Being a member of the faculty and the admission team is a unique position that I am grateful for. The two roles complement each other and have given me the opportunity to immerse myself in the Overlake Community.”