Dragonfly Designs owner Dani Dunn finds solace in literature, support from family and community after loss

Dani Dunn is the owner and designer of Dragonfly Designs, located at 2370 N. High St. Suite No. 4 in Jackson.

The business offers custom vinyl items, paint parties and DIY workshops, and specializes in custom wedding gifts, memorial items, customized T-shirts, tumblers, wine glasses, beer mugs, ornaments and floating frames.

The name of her business came from a children's book, "Waterbugs and Dragonflies" that Dunn says explains death in a positive way.

Dunn came across the book after the death of her oldest son, Aaron McKinney, who, at age 15, died in a car accident on Halloween in 2004. Dunn was also in the car accident.

"[Because of the book], when I see a dragonfly, I feel like that's God's promise that I will see my son again," Dunn says.

By line / Cutline:Macy Archer, right, Paige Cooper, Audrey Jaco and Bella Grant apply vinyl stencils to painted boards during a paint party at Dragonfly Designs in Jackson.Fred Lynch

Dunn opened her business three and a half years ago and worked out of her home until last November when she and her husband, Matt, opened the store.

Dunn describes her husband as her biggest cheerleader.

"He works full time out at P&G, but still cuts and sands all of the boards for my paint parties," Dunn says. "We were newlyweds when my son passed, and he stuck by me through the toughest part of my life."

Dunn's daughter, Jessica Roberts, has been helping with the store as well.

"She just took a full-time job, though, so she probably won't be able to help as much now," Dunn says.

By line / Cutline:LaNita Grein adds paint to the letters on a vinyl stencil during a paint party at Dragonfly Designs in Jackson.Fred Lynch

And, while Dunn's youngest son, Joshua Roberts (he and Jessica are twins), is busy with work and he is in the National Guard, Dunn says he's always there to lend moral support.

Dunn says reading the book "The Shack" is what helped her to deal with the grief of losing her oldest son.

"That book taught me to deal with my grief and to forgive myself," she says.

Dunn has always been a very faith-filled person, even at her darkest hour.

"I believe with all my heart that I will see my son again and that we will be reunited," she says. "Even at the scene of the accident, I believed that God would take care of everything. ... He has a master plan. ... He can take the most tragic accident and turn it into something positive."

A vinyl stencil is applied to a painted board during a paint party at Dragonfly Designs in Jackson.Fred Lynch

Dunn says her paint parties give her a chance to share her story of faith.

"They give me a platform to tell my story and share my testimony," she says.

Dunn, who will turn 50 in December, would like to start a program through her business called "Paint It Forward."

"All of the paintings that we do are motivational or inspirational. It would be a way to give every painter an opportunity to give back to the community," she says.

With this program, painters could opt to paint a second painting for just the cost of materials and then donate it to someplace like a nursing home, according to Dunn. Or, painters could make a donation to cover the materials that would allow a child at Hope Children's Home in Jackson to paint a sign of their own.

Dani Dunn, owner of Dragonfly Designs in Jackson.Fred Lynch

Dunn says she has a soft spot in her heart for foster children as she was in the foster care system for many years as a child.

"Those kids need to feel like they have something of their own, and that their community supports them," Dunn says.