About Me
When I paint there are no distractions. I am in a state of intense concentration on the present which gives me a sense of timelessness. While painting there is nothing for me but the views, canvas, paint, and the brushes in front of me. I offer here my paintings that come from my love and respect for the land. They represent not only unique landscapes but also unique experiences that I want the viewer to be a part of.
My studies began in Pennsylvania when my 8th grade teacher commissioned a drawing from me. This encouragement was pivotal for determining my future. At a young age, after trying my hand at graphic design and animation production, drawing and painting the landscape became my subject of choice. My media has included wood block and linoleum printing, pastel, and oil paint with my current concentrations being watercolor and acrylic to create small, intimate works of the land.
Moving from Pennsylvania to San Francisco in 1980 my fortune took me to studying under Paul Pratchenko, Robert Bechtle, and Jamie Brunson after which I became a teacher. After 20 years of teaching my home became the tiny town of Maggie Valley, NC in the beautiful Smoky Mountains.
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Donna M Mankus
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