Donna L. Martin Fine Art

"Truly, Madly, Deeply...Love" For some reason, I've been on this kick to create "Heart" work!  Maybe it's because I have a son who was born on Valentine's Day and he's been on my mind lately, which is a good thing.  So, this is the latest big endeavor.  I found this frame with the tin attached, at a summer market. It appears to be an old ceiling tile that they stapled to the inside of the frame.  It was the ideal inspiration, as I love combining old things and new artwork.  I knew this would be perfect for what I was thinking about creating with the hearts.  I created a piece of art (heart) for each individual tile.  They are respectively titled "truly", "madly", "deeply", and "love".  The pieces were constructed on 1.5" deep cradle board and attached to the tile.  They are coated with a glossy resin, which makes the colors "pop".  On the bottom of each piec

"Trust Your Heart" So, it's a New Year, and of course, time for resolutions and "new beginnings".  I have to admit, I struggle this time of year.  I sort of get melancholy and I am not the most optimistic person during this "season".  Everything seems dull and gray and sort of lifeless.  Honestly, I wish I were a bear and could go into hibernation mode until the spring.   At the beginning of a new year, it seems everyone always has the best intentions and I do too.  But, about mid-January, I have given up on any sort of "resolution" I may have made verbally or in my head.  I convince myself that it was the New Year's Eve champagne talking - not really me.  I didn't mean it...I never would have made that my resolution.  So as you can see,  I really, really stink at resolutions and it is a big problem for me.  Keeping this in mind, I decided not to make them anymore.  Instead, last year, I decided to come up w

"She Saw the Light" This is a little whimsical mixed media painting that came as a result of an online class.  Lifebook 2015 - it is awesome so far!  Our "theme" was to create a "beacon of light".  I really struggled and felt unsure of myself in doing this project.  My word for last  year was "Fearless" and that word totally went out the window this year when I started this project. I pondered, I tried.  I picked her up, made her an "ugly teenager painting" and put her back down.  For days and days she was an ugly teenager painting - no kidding.  The pictures below don't even show her ugly stage and they are pretty bad.   Then finally deciding to "work" on her, I went to find something in my stash of supplies to construct her dress.  The first thing I came across was an antique hymnal with a song titled "I've Seen the Light". That was it...this wasn't coincidence and I knew I

"Breakthrough"   Well, once again it's a New Year and rather than settling on resolutions, I'm trying to pick a word.  This is my first painting of the New Year and the "word", at least for this piece, was "Breakthrough".   I feel like I'm stumbling this year.  Trying to get creative again after literally months of working on some commission pieces.  I just decided to begin throwing some paint on to this canvas to see what happened.  I wanted to paint a face on this one, originally.  I wanted it to have some kind of deep meaning and value.  This is not what happened.  I just used some intuition and trusted in the process.  This is what happened.  It seemed a dragonfly in the midst of flight was truly a breakthrough of sorts.  I got to be creative without thinking so much about it - without any expectations.  I still feel a little weak in the knees, but I'm ready to get creative again.  Now I'm ready.  Ready for a New Y