Dawn Marie Forsyth

Artist | Educator | Designer

I am a third-generation Angelino living and working as an object-maker advocate in downtown Los Angeles. I excel in leadership and management, focusing on managing complex political relationships and working effectively with diverse communities, management styles, and personalities. I possess a high energy level, determination, and perseverance, allowing me to be an effective change agent. My exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills, as well as my outstanding oral and written communication skills, enable me to learn quickly and succeed in any given role. 

As an educator, I have authored and taught creative courses with an emphasis in design concepts, visual presentation, fashion design, human dynamics, aesthetics, design theory, fashion and art history, and creative thinking. My expertise lies in supporting individuals in revealing their creative voice and discovering the methods and skills to express their visual voice. I have worked in higher education for over thirty years, primarily at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. I held dual roles as Professor in Design, Chair of the Fashion Design Department, and Education Program Coordinator. I have also taught part-time at Santa Monica City College, Brooks College, and American College. My greatest passion is to help individuals achieve their creative development goals. 

As a fashion and graphic designer who has worked with the Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) as a Technical Analyst for their uniform design, I collaborated with their employees to develop a fit and product quality standard. I was a dress designer and room manager for seasonal collections at ILLI Apparel. Additionally, I held various positions at Sterling Sportswear, Graffiti Screeners & Transcolor West, from sales to artist to design as the Operations Manager. Our main product was screen printing, but we facilitated all aspects of our customer’s needs, from the development of art to the end product ready for market. This included graphic design, brand identity, garment sourcing, printing process, and quality control. Some of our former clients are Bugle Boy, Ironman, Beach Blvd., Panama Jack, Crazy Shirt, Suncloud, and Mossimo. 

I also have experience designing for private clients who want custom clothing for special occasions. Some former clients include Barbara Lazaroff & Wolfgang Puck (Spago, Hollywood), Norma Fink (Theodore, Beverly Hills), Peter Cohen, Christine Albers & Bill Travilla. 

As a volunteer, I have worked with non-profits on various projects and events. I underwent a ten-week training at Peace Over Violence (POV) to become a violence prevention specialist and serve as a voice in the community. I provided consulting services to the American Heart Association (AHA) for their annual fundraising event, ‘Go Red,’ for ten years. I also supported young designers in creating original red dresses for the event auction. I also served as a Design Mentor for several organizations offering competitions and scholarships to young designers, including Guess for Georges Marciano, Hand Weavers Guild (HGA) Design, Arts in Fashion International (AIF), and St Vincent de Paul “Discarded to Divine” (D2D). 

In addition, I have been a guest speaker, an event facilitator, and a reviewer of student portfolios for various organizations. These include a Women’s Studies program at San 

Francisco State University, the National Portfolio Day held at the Academy of Art College and the California College of Art, the West Association of Schools and Colleges curriculum review at FIDM, a Pattern Workshop for Alvanon, a Mask Making Workshop, Mandala Workshop, Arts Symposium, and Fashion Directions at Dominican University, California Association FHA – HERO awards. I have also facilitated the coordination of many Fashion shows in both Los Angeles and San Francisco. I have been a guest photographer for a documentary on designer shows in London and Paris. I served as a former Board member on the American College advisory committee and for Porcelynne Design School. 

As an artist, I am the creative director at DAFOMA Studios, where I develop my art and designs and collaborate with other artists and designers. My work questions identity-centered concepts related to culture, society, and gender. I use a mixed-media process to create paintings, sculptures, and installations that embrace human struggles and create tension between visual culture and intrinsic identity. Being a woman in today’s society comes with extrinsic limitations, but I feel limitless in my artistic expression. I depend on the viewer to understand and empathize with women’s societal challenges and how they affect identity.