The 5 Ws of Dana

My name is Dana Reinke and I am an artist living with my husband and our three amazing kids (OK, sometimes they’re amazing — sometimes they’re total goobers) in Oakville, Canada. I am the best friend of a furry black dog named Bruno.

I hate cooking but I love eating. My favourite food is icing and my favourite drinks are fizzy (Diet Coke, champagne and ice-cold beer). I love all things Lilly Pulitzer because it’s hard to be sad when you look like a tropical cocktail. My favourite gifts come in tiny blue boxes labeled Tiffany. And when I’m immersed in a painting, don’t bother calling me because there’s no way I’m going to answer the phone. In fact, I rarely answer the phone at all — just text me.

I am an artist and stay-at-home-mom, Before I embraced the glitz and glamour of working at home, I was an editor at Canada’s number one parenting magazine (Today’s Parent) and Canada’s number one bridal magazine (Weddingbells). My writing appeared in Chatelaine, Canadian Family, Parents Canada, Glow, ivillage.ca and chicsavvytravels.com.

Sadly, most of those publications are no longer with us but trust me, I’m pretty fantastic!

I have Seasonal Affective Disorder which means I fall into a funk every winter and get happier again in the spring. At the age of 43, I was also diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) which explained SOOOOO much, including why I never finish the laundry and why I forget everything. I wrote about my ADHD for Chatelaine here.

Taking charge of my brain has been a huge part of my life and it’s why I paint the things I do. When I’m in a terrible mood, and everything outside is grey, nothing makes me happier than painting a summer’s day.

I live in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. It’s a pretty little suburb of Toronto, Ont., otherwise known as The Bubble.

During the pandemic, my office above the garage slowly transformed into an art studio.

Summer in Oakville is beautiful but the winters make me cry. The mom part of me loves this land of minivans, quality sports programming and mom friends. But the creative part of me wishes Oakville was more artsy, more walkable and less competitive — I can’t keep up with the Jonses here, the Jonses are away at their home in Naples, FL this week and apparently I’m not invited.

I was diagnosed with depression in university when my undiagnosed ADHD brain could no longer mask my symptoms. I’d always been able to get good grades but university was too hard and I felt like a failure. In 2006, I experienced the wrath of post-partum depression; I was 29-years-old and newly-minted mother of two. I was a big old mess and I stayed that way for a very long time. I’m healthy now, but every year, SAD brings me down. I once tried to kick the anti-depressants but I quickly realized that this mood disorder thing is forever. I take my antidepressants the way other people take their heart medication: there is no shame in it, no weakness. There is only a body that needs medicine to function. Medicine and paint in every colour of the rainbow.

Painting is my therapy. I struggle with depression and anxiety and even though I have a wonderful life, sometimes it’s hard too. During long Canadian winters, I play with paint. I reimagine the Canada that exists outside my door into my dreamworld; warmer, happier place, more colourful place.

As the lockdown dragged on, I started painting every day.  I learned as much as I could from Youtube tutorials, and Zoom classes. I spent far too much money at the craft store. And in the process, I found my passion.

The mindful practice of pushing paint around a canvas and playing with colour brings me so much joy that even my seasonal depression has calmed down. Rather than mope about how much I loathe winter, I now challenge myself to paint the places and things I love — but with way more pink. It’s my favourite mood booster.