dana ate oatmeal! is an illustrator, pediatric nurse practitioner, and former professional cyclist currently based in connecticut.

growing up, my family would go on rock hounding trips all over utah, where i grew up. my mom would bring a journal and every night in our hotel room, she would write about what happened, what rocks and fossils we found, and i would draw pictures of our day and the rocks, fossils, and crystals we found. this habit followed me throughout my childhood and adolescence; i would write journal entries and decorate with drawings to go along with the journal entries. i blew through so many notebooks. 

during my teenage years, professional cycling took the forefront and i would travel to all corners of the u.s. and then to various countries to race and train. i never left home without taking at least 2 notebooks to record all my travels and continued to write and draw daily. when i wasn’t napping/training i was drawing or writing.

when covid hit, i was struggling my way through nursing school. when i started working as a pediatric psych nurse, drawing quickly became my escape from the harsh truths of some of my patients’ lives. when possible, we would draw or color together while they told me about their moods and thoughts, and after a shift i would go home and pour out my own thoughts and emotions in my drawings, and started making comics about every day life. 

i create to express the complex emotions of life, the silliness that the day-to-day can bring, and to remind myself (and perhaps others!) that every single day is special, even if it doesn't feel very special at all.

when i'm not drawing, you'll find me running, riding my bike, or hanging out with my wiener dog, bumi. 

features

yale university
art basel
niconeco zakkaya
kubo and lucy

works

digital illustration
comics
personalized commissions

cv

2024

niconeco zakkaya x dana ate oatmeal! collaboration | new york city, ny

  • greeting card line: set of 6 greeting cards sold in-store and online (www.niconeco.com)

  • stationery collection: set of washi tapes, PET tapes, sticker sheets, rubber stamps, sold in-store and online (www.niconeco.com)

kubo and lucy x dana ate oatmeal! collaboration | los angeles, ca

  • stationery collection: set of washi tapes, PET tapes, sticker sheets, acrylic keychains, sold online (www.kuboandlucy.com)

yale university office of the provost | new haven, ct

  • exhibition: four illustrations chosen to be exhibited at the yale provost’s office

the market 1115 | manchester, ct

  • vendor: tabling at the outdoor market hosted by the firestone studio + cafe, selling cards, stickers, and notecards

three sheets | new haven, ct

  • exhibition: six illustrations exhibited at three sheets restaurant

2023

yale university health center | new haven, ct

  • exhibition: four illustrations exhibited at the yale health center at the intersection of mental health and pediatric care services

shillr gallery art basel | miami, fl

  • exhibition: one illustration exhibited on the shillr gallery during miami art basel

the market 1115 | manchester, ct

  • vendor: tabling at the outdoor market hosted by the firestone studio + cafe, selling cards, stickers, and notecards

raonjena | glastonbury, ct

  • vendor: tabling at the outdoor market hosted by the firestone studio + cafe, selling cards, stickers, and notecards