Donna L. Martin Fine Art

"New Beginnings" This painting is finally done!  It's amazing how I literally obsessed over this one.  I couldn't wait to come home and work on it.  I was amazed at every layer and how it was almost painting itself.  Event the colors are not typical of what I normally use.   Both of the substrates (cradle boards) started out with a muted gray background with a bright orange stencil over the top.  I began adding layers of paint and paper.  Then I figured out that I needed to put a Mama bird and a little bird's nest into the composition.  I used stencils and molding paste to give it a raised texture.  Added more paper, paint, and glass bead gel. In the time I was working on these, I thought about how our lives so quickly change.  I remembered my kids when they were babies and now they have babies of their own.  It's pretty incredible, the twists and turns our lives take and how fast time really goes. We never expect the

Troyce's Heart            This is an original mixed media piece that was specially created for a little baby boy that will be undergoing heart surgery next month.  He has been through such a rough time already, but he has a strong family and a contagious smile!  His Grandmother wanted me to create something special for his Mom and Dad as they travel this journey.  I was honored when she asked me to do this piece.  Through the years I've always felt close to her, even with all the twists and turns our lives have taken.  She and her family hold a special place in my heart. I have no idea where the inspiration for this piece came from.  Even the colors are nothing like what I had originally planned.  Doug Collins, from Redeemwood provided the small wooden pallet that the heart was constructed on.  It seemed like the perfect special touch for this piece.  There are quite a few layers of paper, paint, molding paste, and burlap.  The round knob in the mi

New Adventure and a work in progress...     I did the background starting with a very bland gray paint.  I added a leaf stencil using orange paint over the gray.  Added some papers and yellow and red paint with a glazing medium.  WOW, too bright!  Hmmm...added some white and some glass bead gel.  It helped, but not quite sure if I'm totally happy with it.  What to do, what to do...do other artists question this stuff too?    Man, I have been obsessed with these paintings for some reason.  It's a really strong pull for me to get them done.  I wonder who I am creating these for...what's their story, are they drawn to these as I am?  So, back to work.  I added some sheet music and added a glaze with a little more white.  Also added more stenciling witht the leaf stencil.  I began to add some brown ink to the nest and around the leaves.   I did the same things on the bird canvas as I did with the nest.  This weekend at a local market, I found a really co