Artistic Dimensions

In Delray Beach, Florida, an artistic gem shines in the stunning talent of Dana Donaty, owner of Dana Donaty Designs. Dana is very well known for her faux finishing, original artwork and constant participation in the art community in this Florida coastal village, collaborating with artists and being an ASID Partner and Chairperson of the Delray Public Art Advisory Board since 2009. But, her artistic beginnings began over a thousand miles away in New Jersey and Pennsylvania—and across “the Pond.”

Dana received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia in 1988. A short time later, she moved to London, England, where mural art became her concentration, building her career by working with designers and private clients. Many clienteles in both England and other European countries learned of her forte in fine art and faux finishing and sought out her distinctive talent for pieces and work in their homes and businesses. After 12 years, Dana then relocated from England to Florida “my second home,” she says. She quickly and actively participated in Designer Showhouses and multiple public art projects, along with residential and commercial commissions, many of which have been published in international and national publications, including Faux Effects World, Volume VIII.

Shown here, the stark white ceiling with architectural detail in the DCOTA Design House needed to meld with its eclectic, glamorous furnishings. Dana wanted to create a finish that would be respectful of the showroom’s motif. Multiple layers of Palette Deco™ were applied to create a sheer, liquid gold focal point and to balance the room.

Dana’s commercial commissions can be seen on and in many South Florida establishments, including The Delray Camera Shop, the Boynton Beach Fire Station and SPoT Coffee, a trendy, popular coffee house in Delray Beach. SPoT Coffee’s mural relates the history, landmarks and prominent people of Delray Beach.

Various FauxCreme Colors™ were used to create this notable and eye-catching piece of artwork. “FauxCreme Color™ is nice to work with, since I like to paint in layers,” says Dana. Here, the step-by-step process for creating the mural is shown from the bare wall to completion.

Over the past several years, Dana has received multiple ASID FSC Industry Partner Design Excellence Awards, including the 2010 award for Best Artistic Public Art Project for Big Red, a researched historical, chronological sequence of the Boynton Beach Fire Station #5 Emergency Operation Center from the 1920s to present day. This mural was commissioned through the city’s Art in Public Places program and measures 19 feet by 4.5 feet. Multiple layers of FauxCreme Color™, wash over wash, were applied on canvas starting with sepia tones to bright reds. Once finished, this mural was installed on site.

Dana’s inventive designs has won her the honor of being chosen to create artwork for a variety of Delray Beach’s festivals, including poster for the 12th Annual Delray Beach Garlic Fest in 2010. The happy, dancing, drinking couple, Gabby & Gary Garlic, are shown frolicking by the seashore inviting a fun time for festival attendees and art enthusiasts. To show a shimmering sea and moon, Dana applied Pearl Palette Deco™ horizontally on a canvas to start the composition. Then, for translucency, FauxCreme Color™ was used.

Photography is another artistic interest of Dana’s. She recently completed a year long showing of her camera work, The DAHLS, at the Ora Sorensen Gallery also in Delray Beach. The DAHLS are an entertaining compilation of photographic shots showing the figures at various locales and tourist destinations, enjoying meals, relaxing by the pool, and inevitably bringing in nearby humans to become part of their show. Dana took inspiration from one of her DAHL photos to produce Red. “It took a long time to recognize that it [the photographic DAHLS] was becoming another avenue for art,” says Dana. On canvas over a troweled on LusterStone® base, she used various tones of FauxCreme Color™. “Almost all my artwork has texture,” Dana explains. “Even through the DAHL object, you can see freeform texture.”

Dana’s time spent working and traveling in England, Europe and the Americas had a great influence on her artwork. Different cultures, classic art and architecture are conveyed into a variety of her works by experimenting with different techniques and unorthodox mediums. “When composing a piece, how the picture is in my head needs to be brought to the canvas,” Dana explains. “Textured Faux Effects® products work well for composition, and FauxCremeColor™, being water-based, can be used on their own or added to other products to tweak color.”

Art is Dana Donaty’s life. As Chairperson of the Delray Public Art Advisory Board, Dana and her group initiate public art works projects to help beautify the community working with government entities and procuring donations from private citizens.

DECORATIVE ART BY: DANA DONATY

PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY: DANA DONATY

WRITTEN BY: JOAN SECKINGER

If you enjoyed this article, send
it to your friends on Facebook!