About

Donna Theresa

Bio

  DonnaTheresa came to her current artistic fervor following the first stroke of a soft pastel stick on an ordinary piece of Canson pastel paper in a community college class.  DonnaTheresa had been dabbling in drawing classes with a focus on figure drawing from a live model.  This particular semester, she was introduced to the world of color through the pastel medium and the obsession grew from there.  That was a little over four years ago.  Working in the pastel medium started out slowly but has since grown into a daily professional practice.

   DonnaTheresa is a fine artist living in Santa Cruz, Ca. Her roots began in Los Angeles where she grew up and lived until 1988. After graduating from nursing school and working for a year in the city of her birth,DonnaTheresa made her exodus and travelled and worked in her field.  She practiced her career in nursing for 10 solid years before starting a family. Now the children are grown and off to college andshe finds herself at the easel everyday.  Everything is good in the world with a stick of chalk in her hands! Mostly DonnaTheresa is drawn to landscapes but can be inspired by figures and the occasional still life. 

   DonnaTheresa is mostly self taught .  She has taken instruction from master pastelist Marla Baggetta.  DonnaTheresa has juried into a number national pastel exhibitions to date and continues to compete at this level as she considers it a way to "step up her game."  Viewing life through artist’s eyes has brought great joy her. It is with gratitude that she shares this joy with you. 

Artist Statement

As an emerging artist , I am choosing to see my surroundings differently.  Whereas before I glimpsed at the face of my loved one or a stranger on the street, an everyday apple or pear, or the hazy hills in the distance, today I see shape, value, texture, movement, and thus emotion and narrative. I imagine how I might render these observations and then I practice....  I do not surrender to the voice of comparison. I carry on in a spirit of curiosity and gratitude that I may find my way.  On that journey I ultimately find a part of myself undiscovered.

Curriculum Vitae

~Pastel Society of the West Coast / Pastels USA / 35th International Exibition

August 2021

~The Adirondack Pastel Society 7th Annual National Exhibition

 July 7 - August 14, 2021

~Central Mass Pastel Society Marks of Distinction 2021

June 27 - July 31, 2021

~ Pastel Artists of Oregon Spirit of Pastel 2020 International Exhibition

October 2020

~ Pastel Society of America Enduring Brilliance International Exhibition

September - October 2020

~Adirondack Pastel Society National Online Juried Show

July 2020

~Central Coast Plein Air Painters Wine and Canvas Exhibition

June 2020 ~ Honorable Mention

~Pastel Society of the West Coast Online Member Showcase

January 2020

~Art Council Santa Cruz Exhibition @Santa Cruz County Government Center

January - March 2020

Central Massachusetts Pastel Society National Online Exhibition

November 2019


Capitola Plein Air 5th Annual Competition

Oct 31 - Nov 3  2019

Central Coast Plein Air Painters / A Toast to the Coast Exhibition

September 2019

Pastel Society of North Carolina / Pure Color Online International Exhibition

August 2019

Pastel Society of Colorado / 15th Annual Mile High National Pastel Exhibition
May 11 - June 29 2019

-Pastel Society of the West Coast / Pastels USA International Open Exhibition Pastel
May 16 - July 14 2019

-Society of Southern California/ Pastel at the Ebell
April - May 2019

-California Central Coast Pastel Society 1st Spring Exhibition
April 2019

-Pastel Society of the West Coast : Online Member Juried Exhibition
February 2019

-89th Annual Statewide California Lanscape Exhibition
March - April 2019

-Central Coast Plein Air Painters Exhibition: Art, Love, and Wine
February 2019  Awarded Third Place

-Pikes Peak Pastel Society  "The Color of Light"
Jan 12 - May 5 2019

-Fourth Annual Capitola Plein Air Paint Out
Nov 1 – 4 2018

-Open Studios Art Tour Santa Cruz County

Santa Cruz Art League ; Planet Pulse - A National Art Exhibit

     August 10 - September 9, 2018

Spotlight Gallery Solo Show ; Santa Cruz Art League

      July 6 - August 3, 2018

Sierra Pastel Society 12th Biannual PASTEL-ON-HIGH Internantional Exhibit

      July 24 - August 12, 2018

The Pastel Society of Colorado 

14th Annual Mile High National Pastel Exhibition

July 12 - August 27 2018

2018 Northeast National Pastel Exhibition

June 23 - July 29 2018

Pacific Grove Library  "Built for Books"  

April - July 2018

Pastel Society of Southeast Texas : Art of the Pastel National Exhibition

April/ May 2018

Arizona Pastel Artists Association : 2018 Open Juried Pastel Exhibition  

March/ April  2018

Central Coast Plein Air Painters Exhibition : Art, Love, and Wine   

February 2018 ~Excellence in Pastel Award

Membership

Pastel Society of America

International Association of Pastel Societies

Pastel Society of the West Coast

Santa Cruz Art League

California Central Coast Pastel Society