Donna Howes - Artist Bio
Emerging Christchurch artist, Donna Howes (1973 - ), has always been drawn to the creative process. From a young age, she self-taught calligraphy, sign writing, photography, and paper arts like quilling and card-making. In high school, her path took a turn towards technical drawing, with dreams of becoming an architect.
Life, however, had other plans. Without the opportunity for formal art training, Donna entered the retail and corporate world, leaving her artistic pursuits behind. Save for the occasional photo walk with friends, art became a distant memory.
The global pandemic of 2020 served as a wake-up call.
Donna realized that a life devoid of art was a life unfulfilled. With newfound determination, she and her husband packed up their Wellington life, leaving behind their public service careers.
Donna realized that a life devoid of art was a life unfulfilled. With newfound determination, she and her husband packed up their Wellington life, leaving behind their public service careers.
A return to her Christchurch roots marked a return to her artistic passion. Donna dove headfirst into the world of a full-time artist, taking up painting lessons with Nick Dobson's Passion for Painting studio.
Over the past three years, Donna has blossomed as an artist. Her life-giving practice centers on realistic oil paintings inspired by her own photography. But her creativity extends beyond realism. Donna also creates original geometric oil paintings based on her graphic designs.
Donna Howes is a testament to the power of embracing your passions, no matter when in life the spark ignites. Her journey is a continual exploration, fueled by a love for capturing the beauty of the world around her, both realistically and through her unique geometric lens.