Who is Our Donna?

I was born in Brighton but raised ‘oop north’ near Manchester.  My site is named as a nod to my northern roots - up there everyone is someone's 'our'.  

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My route into the art world was not a conventional one...  After 13 years in the Military Police followed by various roles in the corporate security world, I established myself a consultant which allows me to use my expertise to help secure Britain's cultural institutions.

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Working within the art world piqued an intense curiosity for art but I never thought I would be at the end of the paintbrush. However, two years of pandemic house arrest awakened the artist within and my so far brief artistic career began.

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Initially painting was a way of channelling my anxiety and frustration about where the world was headed.... and the desire to fill a large wall space in my home with something original. Two years on, my happy place is being in my studio, vinyl playing on the turntable accompanied by my slobbery Newfoundland, Ruby, who usually has paint splattered in ungodly places but provides invaluable critiques of my work….. mostly in the form of loud snores!

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My art is highly personal and tends to reflect my mood. I can return to a piece many times before it is finished giving my work a transformational feel. Rarely does a piece end up how I initially intended.

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My work is contemporary abstract and I take inspiration from the works of Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and other artists from the Abstract Expressionist movement.  With that said, I am not wedded to a particular style.  I work mainly with acrylic - paint, sprays and inks and I use a variety of implements and mediums - brushes, rollers, squeegees, scrapers, sponges, cardboard and even spoons to create layers of immersive colour, depth and texture. 

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I enjoy creating art for home and office interiors and all my pieces are unique. 

Donna x