Donna Miskend

Donna Miskend
Brooklyn, NY, USA
Creative Non-Fiction, Fiction, Memoir, Non-Fiction, Storytelling, Collage, Drawing, Jewelry Design, Mixed Media, Painting, Printmaking
English
After School Program, Arts/Cultural Organizations, Community Center, Independent Living, K-12 Schools, Library, Senior Center

A visual artist, I am primarily a painter, although I also work in graphite, colored pencil, and other traditional mediums. I teach throughout NYC and Westchester, and offer workshops in: drawing, painting, collage, jewelry, textile crafts, bookmaking, creative writing, and I offer lectures in art history. Collaborations include libraries, community and residential senior centers, schools, art fairs, as well as creating public programming for all ages as part of exhibitions I curate. I hold a B.A. in Art History, NYU, with additional commercial art courses from S.V.A, Pratt, F.I.T., and NY Botanical Gardens natural science and botanical illustration. 

My art is inspired by nature, literature, the decorative arts and many artists such as Matisse, Sargent and Beatrix Potter to name a few. To learn more and view recent work, visit my website and separate news blog.

 

Working with older adults is rewarding. It's a completely different experience from working with kids. I've had many students claim that they can't draw, and then seeing what they've accomplished say, "I didn't know I could do that!" It's wonderful to see them gain confidence and create projects they're excited about. And for those students who are already accomplished artists, my goal is to introduce them to a new medium or inspire them to work on their craft further. Creativity needs to be nurtured, and it's also vital to our mental health. We are creatures that need to express ourselves, and the arts allow us to be connected to others, to ourselves, and to our environment.

A workshop or community setting provides an opportunity for students to collaborate, and engage with others who share the same interest. I'm particularly interested in projects that involve nature, or combine art and writing as a vehicle to tell a personal story. And my students inspire me as well, challenging me to find new ways of communicating through art. There are no limitations in the visual arts. It is about experimentation and expanding possibilities. Art is a journey and a discipline where one never stops learning, and I'm thrilled to be able to share my art with my students.