Meet Donna Theresa

We were lucky to catch up with Donna Theresa recently and have shared our conversation below.

Donna, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
“Be kind, be helpful, no judgement, no opinion”… This personal mantra has served me well. As I see it, I must be the change I want to see. Being kind has been a hard won skill I have learned to implement. Coming from a dysfunctional childhood rife with others’ substance abuse,adult unpredictability, rejection and the like, controlling life became the way to survive. Over the years, I have come to appreciate the saying ‘”Live and Let Live”. Turning my hurts into kindness to others has helped me heal and to be of service. Being helpful was not a hard sell. As a retired registered nurse, I came well equipped to “be needed” and thrived in my profession. Today I am helpful without self sacrifice. Judging others, having unwanted opinions, gossip and the habit of joining in these behaviors to be part of the crowd is never a strategy that has lead me to be effective or successful. It is not a habit I embody now and it has served me well to be curious, open and accepting despite differences.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I came to my current passion as a fine artist late in life. After a profession in the nursing field, raising two children who are now fledged and good citizens of the world, I found my long ignored artistic expression. While taking a drawing class at the local community college I was introduced to color theory through the media of soft pastel. One swipe of those luscious sticks of pure pigment and I was hooked. I studied others’ works, those of great masters as well as my contemporaries, and copied what I observed. Daily practice over the past 6 years has led me to a fulfilling artistic practice and profession. I have been juried into national and international soft pastel exhibitions, I have participated in our annual Open Studios Tour here in Santa Cruz County for the past 5 years, and I sell locally, nationally, and internationally. Recently I have begun a watercolor practice as well and enjoy the movement of pigment and water on the page. My muse are the birds that I observe everyday. I am an avid bird watcher, bird advocate, bird lover.
I also practice my craft depicting the local landscape and seascape of the Central Coast in lovely Santa Cruz, California

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Seeing life through an artist’s eye has been the most joyful experience in my life. To be effective I found a daily practice impactful.. Looking up, down, in, and through nature gives me inspiration and motivation. I often hear my inner voice saying, “How could I paint that..” One must have an interest in a passion. I have finally found the place where “flow” happens for me. When I sit down to paint , I think of nothing else but the next mark. After that mark, I simply respond to that mark…and on and on it goes.
So I would say the three most important qualities/skills one would benefit from:
curiosity
daily practice
observation

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

“Comparison is the Thief of Joy”

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