Donna L. Martin Fine Art

Wildflowers My Dad recently passed away and in moving through and navigating this difficult season, I have to say that I’ve learned many lessons. This painting was inspired by one of those lessons and I'd like to share with you what I learned. Kindness. Plain, simple, kindness. I know, we talk about it all the time. We even wear shirts saying “Be Kind” or “Kindness Matters”. But do we really walk the talk. Is kindness and the idea of it something we feel in our hearts and in the depths of our souls? Is kindness just a passing t hought or a “nice” idea? How often do we meditate on it? Well, I have been thinking about it. A lot. Have you considered the person that just “cut in front of you” on the highway? Maybe, just maybe, it was a single mother, late to work because her baby was sick. Maybe she was on the verge of losing her job because this was the second time in two weeks she was late and she has no support system. No close family or friends who c...

These are the Days One of the advantages of Facebook is that we have the chance to get our artwork "out there".  In doing so, I met the most amazing group of artists.  We collaborate every month to auction our work off and donate a portion of our sales to a different charity each month.  It's our way of giving back and paying it forward.   This month's charity is one that is very close to my heart. GRRACE (Golden Retriever Rescue and Community Education) is committed to locating and rescuing Golden Retrievers in need throughout my home state of Indiana. They take in Goldens when their owners no longer want them, when they are abandoned at shelters, or when they are picked up as strays. Their volunteers have such passion and comm itment for these wonderful animals. We hope you'll join us on June 25th and 26th for this month's auction where your participation will aid in the rescue of these sweet dogs. This is one of the pieces I will...

Moon Kissed This is one of my latest in my series of "moonlight trees".  It has lots of dimension and layers, adding to the interest and mystery of this piece. This piece is available.  Feel free to contact me via email at:  www.saltlightwatercolors@yahoo.com . You can also follow me on my website , instagram , and FB .  Feel free to reach out...I'd love to hear from you!

The Guardian I've said this before, but honestly, I can't say it enough. I am so absolutely blown away that I get to participate in a group where the artists have the biggest hearts on the face of the planet. They work so hard to produce work that will touch lives and make a positive difference in our world. I'm always honored that I get to work alongside them and I never want to take this opportunity for granted. This month, our group, the Creative Kind, has chosen a very special charity called S aving Innocence. Here is a little bit about what this organization does: Saving Innocence provides escape from trafficking for child victims of sex trafficking 24 hours a day – 7 days a week. Using a highly relational and collaborative approach, we give children on-the-ground help exclusively in the U.S. by utilizing strategic partnerships with law enforcement, social service providers and schools, while mobilizing communities to prevent abuse and increase neighbor...

In the Silence In the Silence began with a stark, white, canvas.  As I began thinking about this painting and what I wanted to "say" with it, I added vintage text and vintage musical notes.  I added glazes and layers of paint so that just a portion of the text shows through.  I added more layers of ink with stencils and then wiped it away.  I used inks to create the many layers and branches of the trees, as well as the moody atmosphere in this piece. As I was creating, I thought about how we all start out as a "blank canvas".  We begin to add rich layers to our lives, with words, with music, with emotions.  Sometimes, there are things we can't say and feelings we can't express.  These words, feelings, emotions begin to tell our stories.  And sometimes, we cover up those layers, those feelings, those words, much like I covered up part of this canvas with paint.  We stay silent.  We have no words to express how we feel.  ...

The Circle of Life I can finally share this piece!  I think it's become one of my favorites.  This was a commission piece for my husband's sweet Aunt.  She loves butterflies and she had seen another piece that I had completed last year and asked if I would create something along the same lines for her.  Although this didn't turn out to be an exact replica of the piece I created before, I love this one even more.  It is lighter and more luminescent than the other was.  I added 5 butterflies representing her "original family".  Now, the family has evolved and transformed, with the blessing of grandchildren and spouses.  I feel like this painting symbolizes the evolution of life...how it can change and become even more beautiful than we ever dreamed possible. I used a vintage handkerchief for the background.  I also added some spackling paste for texture and depth. I added various paints and inks.  F...

Moonlight Trees So many exciting things happened this month!  I was honored to have been interviewed by Voyage Denver . The article told a little about my background and life as an artist.   I've also been painting like crazy, trying to get ready for the summer art show season.  I will be at Art in the Park in Parker, CO in August.  This painting is fresh off the easel and ready to go! I'll be teaching my first full-day, in-person workshop on May 5th...of course, all about trees!  There are still some spots available and I would love to have you join us!  Here is the link for more information about the workshop:  https://amusedwomanstudios.com/amused-woman-shop-items/5519-10am-5pm-branching-out-creating-the-essence-of-trees-mixed-media-painting You can follow me on Facebook , Instagram , or on my website .  Feel free to email me  me with any questions or comments...I always love hearing from you!

Gypsy Soul This is my latest mixed media/abstract piece of work, fresh off of the easel.  It has a lot of depth, texture, and many, many layers.  This is unlike what I've done before...a total experiment totally out of my comfort zone!  But, it was so much fun! This piece is currently available.  Send me an  email  if you are interested in purchasing or if you have any questions or comments...I would love to hear from you! https://donnamartinfineart.com/ https://www.instagram.com/donnamartinfineart/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/donnamartinfineart/

Night Moves This is my latest mixed media/abstract piece of work.  It has a lot of depth, texture, and many, many layers.  It was finished with deep, rich tones of blues, grays, and light greens. This piece is currently available.  Send me an email if you are interested in purchasing or if you have any questions or comments...I would love to hear from you! https://donnamartinfineart.com/ https://www.instagram.com/donnamartinfineart/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/donnamartinfineart/

Beautifully Broken In our journeys, there are usually broken pieces.  People we’ve loved and lost, friends who have been in our lives for a season, families torn apart.  These are our stories.  These are the layers of our lives.  These broken pieces make us who we are, who we become.  What we do with those broken pieces is up to us.  We have the choice to create new stories, to try again.  Our wings may be tattered and worn, but they are ours and they can still fly.  We are all beautifully broken.  The doorknob in this piece represents old doors closing and new ones opening.  The background was created using pieces of a vintage world atlas, representing the layers of our lives and our journeys.  The wings were bathed in resin to finish this piece, so there is no need for framing. This piece will be available in an online Facebook Event beginning Sunday and running through Monday.  These events are fun a...

Beauty in the Brokenness “There is nothing beautiful about the wreckage of a human being.   There is nothing pretty about the damage, about pain, about heartache.   What is beautiful is their strength, their resilience, their fortitude as they display an ocean of courage when they pick through the wreckage of their life to build something beautiful, brand new, against every odd that is stacked against them.”   - Nikita Gill   We don’t always see it in ourselves, but beauty truly can come from the brokenness. This piece was created with layers of paper, paint, and acrylic inks.   I also added some modeling paste in certain areas on the painting, which gives it a bit of raised texture. This piece is 20 X 20 X 1.5, created on a thick, gallery wrapped canvas.  It is available.  Please email me with questions or comments at:  saltlightwatercolors@yahoo.com .  You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram: htt...

Wonder Trees seem to be my thing. I’m always inspired and awed by them. They are always so resilient and ever changing at the same time. They never cease to amaze me. For this piece, I combined many layers of hand-painted papers, inks, and acrylic paint. I also painted “outside of my comfort zone”, using colors that I don’t normally use. Finally, I added modeling paste to add depth and more texture. This piece is available now on Facebook, Artistic Souls Gallery . www.donnamartinfineart.com https://www.facebook.com/donnamartinfineart/

Gratitude Exhibit Winter Solstice   I'm so excited and humbled to have this piece, Winter Solstice, in the Gratitude exhibit at the Kreuser Gallery in Colorado Springs.  The formal opening reception is on February 1st, from 5:00-0:00 pm.  I would love to see you there! www.donnamartinfineart.com www.facebook.com/donnamartinfineart www.instagram.com/donnamartinfineart

Winter Solstice Happy, Happy New Year!   I am so excited and honored to announce that this painting will be exhibited and available at the Kreuser Gallery in Colorado Springs CO.  It will be part of an exhibit entitled "Gratitude".  The Opening Reception will be held on Friday, February 1st from 5:00-9:00 pm.  There will be music by Phosphene Eyes with a special performance at 7:00 pm by Artist Jasmine Dillavou.  The Gallery is located at 125 E. Boulder Street, Colorado Springs, CO.  I would love to see you there! www.abigailkreusergallery.com     www.donnamartinfineart.com www.facebook.com/donnamartinfineart/ www.instagram.com/donnamartinfineart/