Meet Dana Donaty | artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dana Donaty and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dana, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I grew up in New Jersey …a very traditional nuclear family. My father was a doctor of German Irish decent , my Mother an artist is Colombian and they were both born here. From my parents and my immigrant grandparents we got a lot of ‘gems’……life lessons from their upbringings delivered in well worn phrases.
One of my father’s favorites that I must have heard everyday of my life and it continues play in my head now, “ Waste not , want not”.
That has become part of my life in many ways but
most significantly I have claimed it for myself in my art practice.
I am naturally a messy painter so from noticing how I am, the paint on the floor and having the idea to not waste that was born the process for my paintings.
By placing virgin canvases on the floor underneath “in-process” easel work to intentionally collect excess paint that is flung, scraped and whatever notes I have made for myself on the canvas.
Just like the canvas before it, the floor work is then raised to eye level. From this aggregation of Rorschach-like blots my creatures begin to emerge. I consider each painting to be the child of the previous paintings.
Funny the things that stick from our upbringings
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Donaty, Colombian American was raised in New Jersey. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drawing from Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia, PA. After living in London, England for twelve years she relocated in 2006 to Florida, where she now lives and works.

Please tell us more about your art. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally?
I am interested in what makes us who we are culturally and its through an overarching theme of play that I explore this idea in painting, sculpture and mixed media assemblage. My curiosity for how culture and personal geography become part of identity raise questions about my own upbringing……about the tensions and transitions of childhood and becoming a grown up within a traditional American nuclear family.
I am also interested in popular culture influences on the self, like TV which was a big part of my world growing up. My family gathered around TV to watch popular shows like Sesame Street, Schoolhouse Rock, The Carol Burnett Show, 60 minutes + other popular shows from the 70’s and 80’s.

During Covid I have continued to explore play by delving into my paintings to examine individual parts like a creature I have named Orsimuss. I consider these mixed media assemblages to be dossiers for the creatures. The dossiers contain narrative elements of my life; symbolism of home, a love of nature, secrets and metaphors of others.
* Orsimuss is from the painting, “Saturday Night Live”

As for something I am most excited about I love the new experiences, the unexpected project and growth that come from a great artist-in-residence program.
A few years ago I was an artist-in-residence in Varanasi, India where I had the opportunity to collaborate with artisans diving into my paintings in a way I never had before, working in new ways and new mediums.
I was in India last March for a residency in Jaipur but had to leave because of covid. Hopefully I will be able to go back soon.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love NOA Cafe on 2nd Ave, Guarapos Juice Bar, Cafe in Wynwood and Ghee in Kendall. I had my studio at Bakehouse Art Complex so that is definitely on my list to visit as well as artist run spaces like Laundromat.
The public art and pop-ups in the design district are always intriguing
Also Miami seems to change every five minutes so I also scooch around to see what’s new.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Support for my art has always come from my family starting an an early age and continues now. My mother is an artist and her side is full of creatives.
My grandfather, Eduardo Cárdenas was the first editor Selecciones for Reader’s Digest, my aunt Esther was the first professional visual artist I knew and it was from visiting her home in Cali, Colombia that I realized you could live like that. Also my mother’s cousin Santiago Cárdenas’ (painting & drawing) and my cousin in Bogota who is a painter, Alejandro Fischer Cárdenas.
There are too many to list.
I believe we all flow through each other and that is what makes it all possible…so shout out to my amazing family.

Website: www.danadonatyfineart.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danadonaty/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-donaty-55390b12/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanaDonaty

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanaDonatyArtStudios

Image Credits
Alex Heria