My passion is to create art using my own palette of "nature's paints” comprised of pressed botanic elements such as leaves, stems, and blooms.
Sources include my large garden, lakeside and oceanside flora, and hikes in remote areas to find just the right specimens. Every season provides a new array of colours and textures.
As I collect leaves, flowers and grasses I sense the energy that resides in them. Every new design is the result of tapping into this energy. I am thrilled and fascinated that I can go directly to nature and use her own materials to emulate her abundant beauty. It is my hope that this energy is also felt by those who view my art. I know my message succeeds when I hear comments such as one made by a client who commissioned a piece for her bedroom, “Every morning as I look up at your artwork I feel happy”.
In general my art falls into two distinct branches. In the first type I work with whole pressed botanic elements such as stems, leaves and blooms and strive to create unique designs which are stripped of complexity yet result in nuanced representational floral art.
In the second branch I use parts of botanic elements in a brushstroke or mosaic-like fashion to create images with detailed texture and colour. This process is painstakingly and highly demanding, requiring concentrated effort for prolonged periods of time. To me the results are gratifying and well worth the effort. I often meet with doubtful expressions from viewers, who believe they are looking at a traditional painting, and will examine it closely to convince themselves that it is not. This branch includes landscapes, animal art and a special section for Canadian subjects.
I have exhibited and sold my art at Edward’s Gardens in Toronto, One of a Kind Show, smaller trade and craft shows, and have won a number of competitive awards.
The original artworks are now hanging in my gallery which will be officially open in the Spring of 2011.
My other creative formats include
cards and
bookmarks.
<%-- Donna Wilk grew up in a village in the Siberian taiga (boreal forest) where flora flourished during the spring and summer months. Her experiences there
inspired her to create botanical art with flowers that she pressed in her school books. Later she expanded her source of materials (see
About the Art for list of materials used in her compositions) and her portfolio now includes landscapes, still life and animal art.--%>
<%-- Donna Wilk grew up in a village in the Siberian taiga (boreal forest) where the flora emanated its multitude of colours, natural form and flowing lines.
Her compositions allowed her to convey nature's subtle dynamic beauty using flora materials pressed
in her school books. Her preservation methodology
has since advanced, enabling her to create fine art compositions that can last for many years
of enjoyment.--%><%--
In 2003, Donna displayed her work at galleries in Toronto for the first time. Gallery attendants enthusiastically commented how 'avant garde' her originals are.
They were particularly impressed with her ability to create a powerful visual impact with her use of ordinary botanic materials.--%>
<%--Those who had the opportunity to visit her art at shows were impressed by the visual impact of her original fine art and Giclées.--%>
<%-- Over 50 compositions have been created, some of which
went to family and friends. Those who had the opportunity to visit her at art shows were impressed by the visual acuity of her original fine art and giclées (
about the art).--%><%--
Donna has been a member of the World Wide Pressed Flower Guild and the International Pressed Flower Art Society for several years. She has also participated in international pressed flower art competitions, adding some awards to her credentials (see
Art Awards).--%> <%--Over the last few years, she made contributions to the World Wide Pressed
Flower Guild and participated in international pressed flower competitions.
She
managed to impress even judges on her first attempts, against Japanese
artists that are renowned for their artistic skills (
awards).--%><%--
--%>
<%--
"Let art convey impressions on your senses, just as nature's flowers and plants would!" - Donna--%><%--ArtWithBlooms.com is Dania Danilewicz's (pronounced 'dany-lavich') fine art gallery where you can order compositions and giclées of her artwork, some of which have captured attention of judges at competitions under Pressed Flower Art category in the past few years. Her compositions use pressed organic materials
from a multitude of flower, plant and tree species, which immediately articulate
their texture and colour to portray transience, coeternity and sempiternity (perpetuity) of life.--%>