For Donna Bernstein, simply painting horses isn’t enough, for she paints how they make her feel. Her illustrations often make it onto high-end fashion scarves and jewelry. Here’s our interview with the passionate artist.
Can you tell me a little bit about your career? Did you have any struggles, and if you did how did you overcome it?
My career is a bit of an adventure – like riding a horse bareback, I would say! Challenges, struggles, and exhilaration! There are struggles in pulling together events that align with your vision, and the logistics involved with that, and the artistic struggle of creating works that are a picture of your inner self.
I believe on a certain level that all art is self-portraiture, especially as it relates to abstractive works.
Sometimes I can see a painting complete before I start, and the final piece looks entirely different than what I saw, but evokes exactly the feeling I was aiming for! Art teaches you about what you have to say
and how you want to say it. I feel very lucky to be so profoundly connected to horses because they are a unique animal in their ability to mirror the spirit, reflect our imagination, and inspire action.
What is your dream goal with your art?
To expand the possibilities created by the signature style of my art, which I feel lends itself to creative design both in fashion and jewelry. I have a natural sense of how to design my work in these
areas, and to create strategic partnerships, through licensing and other channels, in building the Donna B Brand as an artist is an ongoing pursuit.
Do you have any advice for young artists trying to make a career?
I know it sounds a bit predictable, but I would say follow your own vision. You can watch what others do, you can learn from what’s out there, but you have to dig deep inside yourself to create your path. There are absolutely no mistakes in art, so get the idea of a mistake out of your head. My best paintings were mistakes or started that way. Mistakes showed me new possibilities in my work and intuitive ways of painting. I would also say that, when it comes to horses, watch, watch, watch. Observe not only what they do, but who they are. If you paint horses, they are your teachers.
Can you share something about horses that most people don’t know?
Well, I really can’t say what others know or don’t know, but I can say this. They are aware beyond your wildest dreams. Once I was driving and saw a horse in a field, and I liked the way the shape of his neck curved as he grazed. I reached out my hand – into the air – and just shaped it in the shape of his neck – as I as driving – easily 1000 feet from him. Immediately his head shot up and he looked right over at me!!!!!! Horses are beyond special. A gift from the gods.
You can learn more about Donna and her products on her website.
