Alana Dao is a mother, writer, and restaurant worker whose creative practice explores contemporary culture, food, and identity. Her work most often takes the form of artists' books, zines, and essays. She received a BA from Smith College and an MA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is Co-Director of A CLEARING: A Maine Arts Community, an intentional space to create outside the traditional confines of the Western, masculine-centric canon. Born in Texas, she resides in Maine.