Realistic Oil Paintings Inspired by My Life.
Pencil studies from Dayna's sketchbook — drawings made before, between, and beside the paintings.
Dayna Pappalardo is a New York–based oil painter, former residential and contract designer, and author of the children's book The Yawn That Went Around the World. As an oil painter, Dayna's work captures the emotion, movement, and quiet beauty found in people, animals, landscapes, still life, and the sea. Through rich texture, luminous color, and a classical sensibility, her paintings seek to preserve moments that feel both deeply personal and universally familiar. Inspired by light, nature, and human connection, her work blends realism with atmosphere to create pieces that invite reflection, warmth, and wonder. Specializing in portraits, animals, landscapes, and seascapes, Dayna is drawn to subjects that carry soul and story — the expression in a face, the strength and innocence of an animal, the stillness of water, or the fleeting light across an open sky.
Influenced by classical oil painters and the romance of traditional fine art, Dayna approaches each canvas with an appreciation for fine detail, craftsmanship, composition, and the emotional power of paint itself. Whether creating intimate portraiture or expansive natural scenes, her goal is to make artwork that resonates beyond the surface — pieces that bring beauty, connection, and meaning into the spaces they inhabit.
Glimpses of Dayna with her work — in the studio, at home, and beside the finished pieces.
Dayna welcomes custom commissions and works with each client to create a piece that is personal and lasting.
Dayna accepts commissions for portraits of people, pet portraits, and scenes painted from a cherished photograph — each created in oil with the same care and craftsmanship found throughout her work. Pricing is available upon request.
Original works are available for purchase. Pricing and availability are provided upon request.
For those who wish to bring a favorite piece home, Dayna offers museum-quality giclée reproductions — archival prints on fine canvas or paper that faithfully preserve the color and texture of the original — as well as fine-art prints. Sizes and pricing are available upon request.
To inquire about a commission, original, or print, please contact hello@daynapappalardofineart.com.