Dorothy Fagan grew up forty miles west of Manhattan with her back door at the edge of a large wooded county park. She remembers heading through those woods with her sled in winter — taking the entire day to hike to the top of the Tourne and ride back on her sled. Those woodlands with their streams and lakes and views of the Manhattan skyline helped her to formulate her life as an artist and her commitment to the landscape.

The woodlands still surround her at home today in rural Virginia. Living near the Chesapeake Bay; the coastal marshes, meadows and mountains also inspire her paintings. She travels extensively with her husband Jim painting en plein air on protected lands across the country. Together they donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of her artwork to the ongoing work of land conservation. The Williamsburg Land Conservancy has honored her for her contribution with their President’s Award of Excellence.

Fagan and her paintings have been featured on a PBS special in Massachusetts. Her work has been exhibited at top shows and museums including the Pastel Society of America at the National Arts Club in NYC, the Copley Society in Boston and the Virginia Museum in Richmond. Her work is included in numerous public and private collections including the City University of New York, Emory University, General Electric, International Paper and the First National Exchange Bank.