"I've been part of other exhibitions, but this is a real gallery," she says. "Someone could take your vision and put it into their home."

At the age of 53, Eaton's exuberance is practically childlike. After raising her family in Sunnyvale for the past 27 years, she is now exploring her interests in new depths. And the Gallery House in Palo Alto is serving as one outlet--Eaton is showing her work there through July 24.

But while her art is burgeoning into a bona fide career, her interest is nothing new. After receiving a bachelor's in fine arts degree from Ohio University, where she studied painting and weaving, Eaton moved to the Bay Area with her husband, Chuck, a computer scientist who currently works for Hitachi Software Systems.

"This is where the jobs were," she says.

The Bay Area also provided Eaton with creative opportunities as she raised her children--Jennifer, 26, and Cy, 24. She volunteered for the art program with the Santa Clara Unified School District, and while she dabbled in silversmithing and photography, she also ensured that her children learned how to be artistic.

"They took their own avenues of creativity," she says with a smile. Jennifer is a Pilates instructor and dancer, and Cy works as a lighting designer for a San Francisco firm. In the past, her own creative paths have taken her far away from home. Eaton has taken fellow artists on several trips to China, where the art made such an impression on her that she now imports Chinese works.

Eaton is also the co-chairwoman of the South Bay chapter of the U.S. China Peoples Friendship Association. Though she doesn't see much direct influence on her art, the trips to China have still inspired her. "Their artistic spirit is strong," she says. "It gives you the courage to take your voice and put it on paper."

That courage struck her about six years ago, when all of her artistic interests swirled together into her current printmaking path. "I got to a point where I realized that I wanted to do something hand-manipulated again," she says.

Printmaking involves placing ink on Plexiglass or Mylar, then etching or removing ink to achieve the desired design. Her recent works feature spherical shapes, which signify movement. "They are intuitive pieces," she says. "It's where you are in the rhythm of the moment." Eaton has recently favored black and white, which leaves the raw textures up for interpretation. "You can imagine your own colors," she says.

Eaton has sold several pieces, which go for between $350 and $600, and recently purchased her own printmaking press, which is at her family's second home in Healdsburg. She hopes to spend at least one week a month there. "It's so nice up there with no interruptions," she says. "Here in the valley, there are always phone calls and the computer."

With her husband not planning to retire any time soon, Eaton will continue to work in the creative community when she's in the South Bay. But when asked whether Healdsburg is where she and her husband will end up after retirement, Eaton shakes her head. "Oh, I'm not ready to think about that yet," she says with a laugh.

The "7 New Artists; Celebrate Art" exhibit will run through July 24. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. For more information, visit www.galleryhouse2.com.

For more information on Dana Eaton's Chinese art imports, visit www.eatonstudios.com.