Donna L. Martin Fine Art

"Discover the Miracle of Forgiveness This was a very emotional process, working on this painting.   It will be donated to an online auction, with all the proceeds going to a very worthy cause.   My every heartbeat was thinking about the results of the auction and how the project will mean so much to so many people.   I began thinking about my own story and thinking about the concept of forgiveness.   I came to the conclusion, for myself, that forgiveness is an ongoing process.   It doesn’t mean that I forget the wrong that was done to me or that the people that hurt me get a “free pass”.   It means that I choose to let go of it, for me.   It is a weight lifted.   Once I begin the process of forgiveness and try to work through it, I am transformed.   It gives me wings to “rise above” it, if you will.   I am still sad and even sometimes angry over what happened to me, but I choose forgiveness and it truly sets me free. ...

"Take Heart Through the Fire" I thought it would be fun to take you through the creation of this piece, from the very beginning to the finished version! This is how it started out - a big, white, intimidating canvas.  I added some texture with a cool stencil that I have and some molding paste.  I then started filling in some color with alcohol ink around the divets in the stencil. I started adding more color with alcohol inks.  I also had some really cool textured cardboard that I painted with metallic bronze paint and then "rusted" with a rusting solution.  Thanks to Carol Nelson again for teaching me that trick!  I also picked up some paper from the shooting range (that is what is sitting on top and bottom of the stenciled part).  It had all these cool holes in it.  Once again, I painted it bronze and then rusted it.  I started attaching in randomly to the piece. For this middle portion, I painted...

"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 co...

"Learning, Changing, Growing"     This is an original encaustic piece that I completed recently.  I had a really strong desire to experiment with encaustics and believe me, this piece and two other small pieces took me the better part of a whole day!  I felt like a crazy person, trying to get beautiful, luminous colors and textures into the layers.  At one point, I melted all of the layers off and started all over again.  The text on this piece reads, "While it may alternately sting or soothe, everyday is different, and there is always something new to learn...".  I truly believe that.  I think all experiences, good or bad, are learning experiences and are put in our paths to get us to where we need to be.  I'm still not where I want to be with this medium, but I am working on it ~ and playing with it has been so much fun.  I hope when the weather cools down a bit more, that I can do a few more of t...

"Take Heart Through the Fire"   I thought it would be fun to take you through the creation of this piece, from the very beginning to the finished version!     This is how it started out - a big, white, intimidating canvas.  I added some texture with a cool stencil that I have and some molding paste.  I then started filling in some color with alcohol ink around the divets in the stencil.     I started adding more color with alcohol inks.  I also had some really cool textured cardboard that I painted with metallic bronze paint and then "rusted" with a rusting solution.  Thanks to Carol Nelson again for teaching me that trick!      I also picked up some paper from the shooting range (that is what is sitting on top and bottom of the stenciled part).  It had all these cool holes in it.  Once again, I painted it bronze and then rusted it.  I started attaching in randomly to the piece. ...