December's Community Art Showcase artist, Dara Harper, M.Ed., is a creative entrepreneur, artist, and educator who has established Art Only Boutique, a company that produces original paintings in acrylics, ranging from figurative to abstract compositions. She is a graduate of The University of Akron with a Master's in Curriculum & Instruction and has a Bachelor's in Studio Art with an emphasis in Painting and a Minor in Art History.

As an artist, Dara has public art installed in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Downtown Cuyahoga Falls, and the West Side of Akron. As an educator, she has designed and developed an art curriculum adaptable for all ages using various art mediums and tools.
"Engaging the community and spaces through art is part of my purpose as an artist," says Dara.
She is uniquely driven to use art to advocate, create conversations and develop meaningful relationships that will positively impact her community. She is co-founder and lead of the Akron Black Artist Guild, winning the 2021 Knight Arts Challenge. She is part of the Black Cube Collective for black women abstract painters and actively serves on the Sojourner Truth Legacy Plaza Education Committee
To learn more about Dara Harper, visit Facebook/Art Only Boutique, Instagram/@Dharperartonly or @ArtOnlyBoutiqueStudios or visit www.artonlyboutique.com   

Read her full bio and learn more about previous artists here.