Local artist Christy Dunkle has lived in the northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia since 2001, nestled between the Shenandoah River and Blue Ridge Mountains. She has worked for the Town of Berryville in various capacities and currently serves as the Community Development Director. Dunkle believes that art shapes our everyday lives, allowing us to recall memories of a time, a place, or a person. Art can make social statements, create moods, present and preserve history, and be therapeutic for the artist and the viewer.

Nature and its elements are major inspirations for Dunkle’s unique mosaic designs. Her work incorporates a variety of natural and organic materials such as slate from Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Scotland; 24-karat gold leaf embedded between pieces of glass; recycled roof tiles cut into rods and split; Youghiogheny River shale, known for its deep black color that contrasts beautifully with other materials; Mexican smalti; and Marcellus shale needles.