Interview: Dana Donaty
Dana Donaty, an American-Colombian artist, was raised in New Jersey and is based in South Florida. She earned her BFA in Drawing from Moore College of Art & Design in 1988 and her MFA from the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in 2024. Donaty’s multimedia practice of painting, sculptural assemblage, fiber, text-based work, and performance examine complex themes of the longest-running revolution: women’s equality. With a sense of humor and play, she weaves the personal and political together to explore emotions, the body, gender, ageism, disabilities, and healthcare issues—emphasizing the absurdities of everyday life while exposing culture's dark side in her signature vibrantly colored maximalist, playground-like aesthetic.
Dana has been exhibiting her art nationally and her work is in the permanent collection of The Coral Springs Museum of Art, private collections, and fourteen public art commissions. Dana has participated in artist residency programs at The Arts Warehouse, Delray, FL; Frozen Music, Jaipur, India; Kriti Gallery, Varanasi, India; Bakehouse Art Complex, Miami, FL; South Florida Ford, Miami, FL.
Read our interview with Dana below!
Evidence of Things Unseen, The Invisible Dog Arts Center, Brooklyn, New York, 2024
PP: Walk us through a typical day in your studio or generally through your process to make new work.
DD: New work begins with ideas from my ‘art to-do’ list on the phone. From there, I dive into research, which is the poetry that fuels my imagery. I usually focus on one primary project—currently a series of paintings exploring the interplay between the body, emotions, and health issues—while also juggling a few related side projects.
Working from my home studio comes with all the distractions, so I rely on routines to get into a creative flow. My day typically begins with a 45-minute early morning swim followed by a fat Bustelo, NPR radio or music, and audiobooks related to my research — right now, I’m listening to The Resilience Myth by Soraya Chemaly—or podcasts like Freakonomics MD.
Once in the studio, I start by MacGyvering various oddball side projects that are in progress— tinkering with these helps get me into my main work - unless I have a breakthrough on an oddball, and then I go for it.
At the moment, I am trying to figure out how to make a Sputnik-like sculpture made from my collection of old television remotes that will all be sprayed in a rainbow of metallic colors and suspended from the ceiling at various heights in a grouping. It's a commentary on the illusion of individual control and a celebration of collective power.
Armed, detail, Police riot shield, automotive paint finish, embroidery hoops, sewing scissors, knitting needles, 21 1/2 x 8 inches, 2023
Pink, Arts Warehouse, Delray, Florida, 2023
PP: What motivates you to make art?
DD: Making and thinking is when I feel most connected—to both humanity and myself. My practice is driven by issues I care about deeply, and art provides a richer, more expansive language than words. It offers me a space to explore, reflect, and process themes in a nuanced and meaningful way.
PP: What would a dream project look like for you as an artist?
DD: I would love to develop a project that explores the power and individuality of women— their bodies, identities, and experiences— through psychological and emotional lenses —inspired by Hélène Cixous’ essay, ‘The Laugh of Medusa.’ I’m interested in the idea of women "writing themselves" through visual art, echoing Cixous' call for women to reclaim their narratives and bodies—relating to the world on their own terms.
This brief excerpt is a starting point:
“I shall speak about women's writing: about what it will do. Woman must write her self: must write about women and bring women to writing, from which they have been driven away as violently as from their bodies-for the same reasons, by the same law, with the same fatal goal. Women must put herself into the text —as into the world and into history —by her own movement. The future must no longer be determined by the past. I do not deny that the effects of the past are still with us. But I refuse to strengthen them by repeating them, to confer upon them an irremovability the equivalent of destiny, to confuse the biological and the cultural. Anticipation is imperative.”
The project could be realized as a solo but might be stronger as a collaborative effort with one or more fellow artists—I’d love to hear from anyone this resonates with.
Link to essay: https://artandobjecthood.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/ cixous_the_laugh_of_the_medusa.pdf
Studio View with WIP
PP: Do you ever work collaboratively, and how so? Why or why not?
DD: I’ve collaborated on curating exhibitions but rarely on creating artwork. It’s definitely something I’d love to explore more—I’m super curious about how different viewpoints and approaches can come together within a single project.
PP: What are ways you support other artists?
DD: I love this question because I think it's so important for artists to support each other— each in our own way. In my small, close-knit group of artist friends, we regularly exchange ideas, review proposals, and provide feedback on each other’s work. I curate exhibitions, and when I’m invited to participate in a show, I suggest other artists I think would be a great fit—even if it doesn't always work out. I show up for openings and talks, buy art when I can, and use artist services.
Also, having worked in the interior design industry for over 30 years, I've learned how to work with a wide range of materials, so I’m happy to help out with material/technical challenges. And, of course, there's the tireless schlepping and installing artwork.
To learn more about Dana’s work, see her Instagram and Website