Artist’s Profile – written by Don Conkey
Donna Roy
To Donna Roy, the best art studio isn’t an art studio at all.
It’s the open air.
“It’s looking, seeing, observing, and being in nature. Just being part of something bigger,” Donna said of painting plein air, being imbedded in nature’s wonderment rather than being confined to the structure of floors and walls.
Plein air is painting outdoors, with the artist incorporating natural light, color and movement in his or her work.
“Through using multiple kinds of mediums, I’ve found that what brings me joy, and what’s important to me in art, is color,” she said. “Color, for me, adds vibration to the day.”
And nature’s color wheel is uniquely special – something she came to fully realize during the pandemic, when being alone outdoors was something that so many people were seeking.
“I went out plein air painting during the pandemic,” she said. “I stood in the swamps. I did a whole series of reeds and grasses. And I exhibited those paintings in a couple of local shows.
“And I think that’s really where I realized the value of painting outside. And how much there was to learn by painting outside. Plein air painting is very, very frustrating. The light is constantly changing. It’s not static, like a photo. But it’s also exhilarating, and you learn a lot.”
Plein air painting is just one rung in of Donna’s artistic ladder. She is a mixed media artist, working in mediums including pastel, gouache, acrylic, oil, decorative painting and glass painting.
A South Hadley resident, Donna holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Massachusetts. Her paintings have been exhibited in local, national and international juried shows, and in 2022 she began licensing her designs for installation in commercial facilities.
She has taught pastel painting at the South Hadley Council on Aging; her artwork has been exhibited in local galleries and national juried art shows; and her memberships and affiliations include the Pastel Society of America, Quabbin Art Association, Amherst Plein Air Society, Monson Arts Council, and Agawam Community Artists and Artisans.
But while her artistic experiences and successes have been numerous and varied, for Donna, painting outdoors was a staircase leading to something that, today, has special meaning in her life: Eco art.
Because in all of her work, a singular goal is making a difference.
“It’s a way to appreciate art, and nature,” she said. “It’s a fusion: a fusion of creativity and natural beauty. It’s where everything begins, out in nature. It’s what inspires everyone.”
Eco art, or environmental art, explores environmental issues and the relationship between humans and nature – often using natural materials to create works that aim to raise awareness and inspire change.
Donna utilizes eco-printing, a process of making direct contact botanical prints from natural pigments found in plants. Those botanical print originals are then enhanced with ink illustrations, watercolor washes and mixed media techniques – and used in her journals and books, using traditional binding techniques.
And with those handmade journals and books, she raises awareness about the value of ecology, and the environment.
“The eco-printing started because I paint plein air. And I noticed how beautiful the leaves and plants are. And when I found out that their color could be transferred to paper, natural-dyeing, I was really excited about it because it’s different than the color and pigment that come out of a tube.
“I began to experiment with that. And that was so enjoyable that I wanted to know what more I could do with the prints that I pulled from simple plants in nature. And I came to bookmaking, and bookbinding gives me a place to use my hands.
“It is a peaceful place.”
Donna hopes that people who view her Eco art will also find a sense of peace, in the realization that nature and our environment are worth treasuring.
“I’m inspired by ordinary landscapes and strive to render them with unordinary colors and values,” she said. “I hope to give the viewer a peek into my world … and I hope to impact how they may see the ordinary world around them.
“Bringing joy, and having someone stop and realize that there is underlying beauty everywhere.”
