Donna L. Martin Fine Art

 Daydreams This piece is fresh off the easel!  It will be part of an online art show coming up in May.  There will be several artists showing work over the course of two weeks and my particular day is May 11th.  There will be so many great pieces of work! Here is the link for this show.  I hope you can make it! You can also reach me through email and social media. https://dmartinfineart.com/ https://www.facebook.com/donnamartinfineart https://www.instagram.com/donnamartinfineart/  

Leaves of Gold This painting was inspired by the beauty of Colorado in the fall.  The leaves are sunshine gold and the air is crisp.  I love how the aspen leaves flutter in the breeze and seem to make their own music. This painting is sold, but commissions are welcome.  Feel free to contact me via email or on social media...I would love to hear from you! https://dmartinfineart.com/ https://www.facebook.com/donnamartinfineart https://www.instagram.com/donnamartinfineart/  

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...

There is Always Light Well, this one was a wild ride!  This is fresh off the easel and for a while, it was a true ugly duckling.  I decided to walk...no run, out of my comfort zone and use colors that I don't usually use.  The photo below is the beginning of the process, using stencils and collage, and then trying to tone it down with some titanium white. After this, I added texture around the piece using molding paste and stencils, layering one stencil over the other so it wouldn't look so "contrived".  After it was dry, I began adding inks...in colors that I wouldn't normally use.  I used a purple ink that had just a small amount of shimmer to it.  It was very, very bright and I needed to tone it down again.  After the "wild colors" had dried, I added sepia ink over the whole piece...several times. At this stage, I was pretty sure I had ruined it, but what happened next was pretty amazing.  The colors started sho...

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...

"Peace Among the Trees" This is my newest piece.  It was created after learning about a dear friend who was recently diagnosed with a devastating form of cancer.  Sometimes, after news like that, there are no words.  There was and is so much emotion and so many stages of "grief" after getting the news.  My friend is strong and courageous.  Her roots are planted deep and she will fight this with all she has.  She is walking through this battle with grace and fortitude.  She is truly my hero and my inspiration.     This piece was created with may layers of painted papers, paints, and inks. It was finished with a layer of beautiful, dreamy, encaustic wax. This is a small 8 X 8 piece, which I have finished with a simple black floater frame.  It is available.  You can send me an email here with any questions, comments, or if you are interested in purchasing. You can check out more of my work at ...

"Becoming" This little, chubby bird was created with painted papers, inks, stencils, and acrylic paint.  It has multiple layers.  On the first layer, I wrote words or "values", such as compassion, grace, and kindness.  These values represent more of who I want to become, thus the name of the piece.  I also hinted at some flowers just beginning to peak out from below the branches, blooming, if you will, but not yet full and complete.  This also symbolizes blossoming and transformation into something beautiful. This piece found a new home, but commissions are welcome.  Feel free to contact me at saltlightwatercolors@yahoo.com . www.donnamartinfineart.com https://www.facebook.com/donnamartinfineart/ www.instagram.com/donnamartinfineart/

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.  ...

Dragons Soar This is the latest little painting I completed.  It's the time of the year I've been thinking about family, getting out in the warm sunshine, planting flowers, breathing in the fresh air.  I named it "Dragons Soar" because I have a little sign in my garden that says "In my garden, hearts soar and dragons fly."  In thinking about the dragonfly and creating this piece, I found this interesting symbolism.  The dragonfly normally lives most of its life as a nymph or an immature. It flies only for a fraction of its life and usually not more than a few months. This adult dragonfly does it all in these few months and leaves nothing to be desired. This style of life symbolizes and exemplifies the virtue of living IN the moment and living life to the fullest. By living in the moment you are aware of who you are, where you are, what you are doing, what you want, what you don’t and are able to make informed choices on a moment-to-moment b...

Infinity In the midst of winter, I start dreaming about spring.  It's the time for renewal, new starts, new colors, new choices.  I always look forward to the flowers blooming and the warm sunshine blowing around in the spring winds.   Another thing I look forward to is the return of the hummingbirds.  My Grandma, from the time I can remember, always had a hummingbird feeder up at her place in the mountains.  I remember as a child being mesmerized by them and by my Grandmother's care for them.  They were like little tiny dancers. My Grandma is gone now and I miss her so much.  We had a special bond and she was the one I could turn to with any of my secrets without fear of judgement or rejection.  She worried about me, cried with me, celebrated with me, and loved me unconditionally.  I wish we would have had more time together. Whenever the hummingbirds come back around, I think of her.  These teeny, little birds have so muc...

"Take These Broken Wings" Sometimes we feel lost, broken, and so alone.  We feel like we've lost the ability to "fly", to find the joy, the ability to be grateful and see the good in the world.  It's almost as though we look in the mirror and don't recognize the shadow looking back at us. Sometimes, we need people to help us recreate our broken wings, to transform them into something different, something beautiful.  We need the random kindness of a stranger, a smile from the person behind the counter, almost as much as we need the people that know us the best and love us anyway.  Let's face it, there is much brokenness in the world.  People are hurting, people are searching, people are crying alone in the darkness of the night.  My question to you is, can you be a light?  Can you give someone a smile or say hello, even thought we are all different?  Can you make a difference in someone's life and be a step to mending broken wings? ...

Tree of Life This is a new mixed media piece that I've done, using several different techniques that I've learned throughout the last couple of years.  It was done with many layers of paint, papers, modeling paste, and acrylic inks. This one symbolizes connection.  All of our lives are entwined and connected, no matter what are differences may be.   This painting measures 24 X 24 on a thick, gallery wrapped canvas.  The texture is kissed with iridescent copper paint that gives it the feeling of being antique. it will be available in an upcoming Facebook Auction that I will be participating in. If you'd like a chance to bid on it, here is the link to join the event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1003365009793243/ You can also contact me at: saltlightwatercolors@yahoo.com I'd love to hear from you! www.donnamartinfineart.com

"Becoming" This little, chubby bird was created with painted papers, inks, stencils, and acrylic paint.  It has multiple layers.  On the first layer, I wrote words or "values", such as compassion, grace, and kindness.  These values represent more of who I want to become, thus the name of the piece.  I also hinted at some flowers just beginning to peak out from below the branches, blooming, if you will, but not yet full and complete.  This also symbolizes blossoming and transformation into something beautiful. This piece found a new home, but prints are available at: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/becoming-donna-martin.html?newartwork=true www.donnamartinfineart.com https://www.facebook.com/donnamartinfineart/

Joy in the Journey This is one of my newest mixed media pieces, fresh off the easel.   I've discovered that I just love painting these wild and crazy flowers.  These flowers start out as "blobs" of ink and I really have to use my imagination to make them come to life! This piece has many, many layers.  It has layers of paper and paint.  It also has some stenciling and layers of ink.  To finish it off, I added the words, "Discover the Joy in the Journey".  This painting truly was all about discovering the joy in the journey!   This painting is another one that will be up for auction toward the end of May. If you are interested in participating in this event, or if you have any comments, please feel free to send me an email...I would love to hear from you! saltlightwatercolors@yahoo.com www.donnamartinfineart.com www.facebook.com/donnamartinfineart/