Donna Young - Biography

Donna Young began painting at the age of four. Over the years she refined her skills as a contemporary artist and utilized her talents in painting ceramics and creating graphic illustrations. Recognized as an accomplished oil and pastel artist, Ms. Young portrays a vivid and effervescent aspect of landscapes found in the Northwest region of the United States. She was formally educated at the Burnley School of Professional Art in Seattle, Washington. Today, she concentrates on painting scenes of the Pacific Northwest.

Donna Young is a winner of numerous artistic awards and is an active member of Plein Air Painters of Oregon, Oil Painters of America, as well as a signature member of the Pastel Society of America. Her devotion to the art of painting her visions of nature has resulted in having exhibitions in major corporate headquarters as well as having earned a strong following among private collectors. 

Painting from life is a pursuit unlike any other type of painting genre. For an artist such as Donna Young, the challenge is to concentrate every sensory nerve on the beauty in front of her. She must absorb everything form sight to smell, atmosphere to earth. Transcending these emotions and perceptions from head to hand, hand to canvas through a medium of colors, recreating the vision on canvas.

The spontaneous and vibrant colors of her medium result in works that are rich in energy, become a celebration to the eye, and seem almost as timeless as nature itself. Through her dedication to her art she is able to translate her vision into a two dimensional form that is highlighted through her contrasting dark and intense color schemes and the ability to uplift emotions.

Donna Young's influences stem from classic Contemporary realists such as Andrew Wyeth, whose works from the 1940's depict focal points in the landscape, and with the use of composition cause the eye to move in a fluid path around the painting. Her passion is also inspired by the oil works of Richard Schmid, evidenced in her 
transitions of color and contrasts.

When Donna Young paints, her intent is to draw in each viewer as an individual and make them feel as if they were absorbed within landscape, sharing the peaceful scenery of streams, hills and structures with only themselves. Her attempt is to make each person feel peacefully in awe of nature.

Donna Young has a studio in Vancouver, Washington. She has found inspiration in the quiet serenity of the mountains and rivers that coalesce into an atmosphere unique to the surrounding region.

The aesthetic quality of her paintings has created a heightened sense of spirit and a new vision to the art of the American Northwest Landscape. Young exhibits her work in Hawaii, San Francisco, Newport Beach, CA, North Bend, Oregon, Seattle and Gig Harbor, WA

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Donna Young - Career Highlights

Selected National Juried Exhibitions

• "Northwest Pastel Society's 17th International Exhibit", Harbor Gallery, Gig Harbor, WA
• "2002 Pastel Winners", National Juried Show, Associated Pastelists on the Web
• "16th International Exhibit, 2002", National Juried Show, Northwest Pastel Society, Gig Harbor, WA
• "La Petite IX", National Juried Show", Alder Art Gallery, Coburg, OR
• "Puget Sound Area Exhibition", Frye Art Museum, Seattle, WA
• "Puget Sound Country", National Juried Show, West Coast Paper Company Art Exhibition, Seattle, WA

Selected Solo and Group Exhibitions

• Lahaina Galleries, Bend, OR San Francisco and Newport Beach, CA 
• Sunriver Lodge Pastel Group Show, Sunriver, OR
• Pinckney Gallery, COCC, Bend, OR
• Louise Matzke Gallery, Seattle and Mercer Island, WA
• Eileen Enck Gallery, Bellevue, WA
• Kirsten Gallery, Seattle, WA

Awards & Publications

• 2004 SkyWest in flight Magazine
• 2003 Sunriver Music Festival Poster,- Sunriver, OR
• 2002 Pastel Website Winner "2002 Pastel Winner"-Associated Pastelists on the Web
• Silver Pastel Award, 16th International Exhibit"- Northwest Pastel Society 
• First Place, juried exhibition, "Riverfest 2002"-Mirror Pond Gallery, Bend, OR
• Best of Show, juried exhibition, "At the River's Edge"- Redmond Airport, Redmond, OR
• First Place, juried exhibition, "Fall Show 2001"- Mirror Pond Gallery, Bend, OR
• Purchase Award, "Puget Sound Country"- West Coast Paper Company, Seattle, WA
• Acknowledgment Award, "Enrichment through Art"- King County Convention and Visitor's Bureau, Seattle, WA 
• Publication, "On Tour in Seattle", - American Artist Magazine, April 1981

Selected Collections

• City of Bend, Bend, OR
• City of Redmond, Redmond, OR
• Deschutes County Fire District #2, Bend, OR
• McDonald's Corporation, Los Angeles, CA
• Washington Mutual Savings Bank, Seattle, WA
• First Western Bank, Bellevue, WA
• Seattle First National Bank, Seattle, WA
  Affiliations
• Signature Member Pastel Society of America
• Oil Painters of America
• Plein Air Painters of Oregon

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