BIOGRAPHY

 

Donna Sharam was born in Sydney in 1967. As a young child, Donna and her family moved to Coonabarabran where she spent an idyllic childhood riding horses and playing in the countryside.

Donna completed her schooling at Calrossy Girls School in Tamworth, and then attended Sydney College of the Arts where she completed a BA in Fashion and Textile Design. She also has a Dip Ed in Visual Arts and Design & Technology.

 

Donna spent many years working in the fashion & homewares industry creating her unique brands, “Bongo Bop” and “Kleva Concepts”. These concept brands were sold through a variety of specialty stores in Sydney.

 

She now lives in the beautiful rolling hills of Byron Bay in Northern NSW and is satisfying her creative juices by applying her instinctive skills to paint on canvas. Her background in textile and design is evident in this work. Bold textures, exaggerated shapes and forms collide with vivid colour in a series of works that shout originality.

 

Whilst Donna’s art practise is only 4 years old she has had three solo exhibitions in the Brisbane and Byron Bay area and participated in many group shows including Art Melbourne 2009. Her emerging talent has been recognised by many. To date over 200 works have sold to art lovers and these works now live in private collections from Sydney to Paris and beyond.

 

Above all Donna loves life and is passionate about her painting and the amazing land in which we live. 

 

 

ARTIST STATEMENT

 

Painting is my passion. Passion (pash-unh /n.) is an emotion, compelling feeling, enthusiasm or desire for something.

Colour is my Vision. Colour (Kul-uh /n.) is a sensation produced on the eye by rays of light.

 

I have always loved colour, from early age I dressed up in the most colourful outfits, dyed my hair purple and wore different colour shoes. My infatuation with colour flowed into a career as a fashion designer and now manifests itself in my art.

I live in a most beautiful part of the world, the rolling hills and rainforests of the Byron Bay hinterland is my home. My wonderful family, the quirky villages, amazing landscapes and eclectic mix of people ignite my passion to paint.

 

The overwhelming sentiment of my art is my ‘love of life’.

 

My art practice is influenced by many great artists, including Whiteley, Done, Miro, Picasso, Hundertwasser and Australian Indigenous Art. Distorted geometric shapes and bold textures speak of my background in textiles. Vibrant colour is my palette. I visit the theory that the built environment and natural architecture can live in harmony. I interpret this in my own unique style; I want the viewer to see the absolute joy and touch the work and feel the privilege of living in this amazing land.

 

My work is full of optimism and positive energy, my hope is that when buying my work that this energy is transferred to your life and environment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

 

2009     - ‘VIVID things’

Portside Wharf Exhibition - Brisbane        

 

2008    – ‘Looking through Rainbows’

Solo Exhibition, Escape Gallery, Murwillumbah

 

2007                - ‘Underground Water World’

Feature Artist - Escape Gallery, Murwillumbah

 

JOINT EXHIBITIONS

2010                - ‘Rivers of Life’ – Ballina Regional Gallery, Ballina

                        - ‘Byron Art Classic’ – Byron Bay

 

2009                - Art Melbourne - VIC

- ‘Art Extravaganza’ Exhibition, Nimbin

                        – Byron Fine Art Gallery, Byron

                        - FEHVA Art Auction / Exhibition, Bangalow

                        - ‘Utopia’ - Bangalow

 

2008                - FEHVA Art Auction / Exhibition, Bangalow

                        - Art Leasing – Artworkers, Brisbane

                        - Art Extravaganza Exhibition, Nimbin

                        - Nimbin @ Heart – Joint Exhibition

                        - The Buttery Summer Exhibition, Bangalow

                        - ‘Habitat’ – Escape Gallery, Murwillumbah

                       

2007                - The Artists Gallery, Nimbin

                         - A Taste of Byron, Byron Bay

             - Opening Exhibition, Black Apple Gallery, Alstonville

                          - Helen Wiltshire Gallery, Palm Cove

               - Flash in the Pan Exhibition – Waywood Gallery, Byron Bay

               - FEHVA Art Auction / Exhibition, Bangalow

            - PAN – Community Exhibition – Byron Bay

                        - ‘Flora, Fauna and Fish’ - Blue Knob Gallery, Blue Knob

 

2006               - ‘The Power of Ten’ - Waywood Gallery, Byron Bay

                         - Smalls Exhibition – Waywood Gallery, Byron Bay

- ‘ Byron Bay Beach’ Exhibition - Waywood Gallery, Byron Bay

 

AWARDS

 

2009                - ‘Caldera’ Art Prize - Finalist

- ‘Envite’ Art Awards – Finalist

 

2008                - ‘ Tweed Naturally’ Art Awards - Finalist

- ‘2008 Art Diary’ - Front Cover, Northern Rivers Emerging Artists

 

2007                - ‘Artists in the Northern Rivers’ - Channel 9

   ‘The Best of Australia’ with Sorrel Wilby

 

EDUCATION

 

B.A Education - Visual Arts

                             Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, NSW

 

B.A Fashion & Textile Design - University of Technology, Sydney, NSW

 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

2009                - Byron Shire News – May 12 2009, pg 21

- Gold Coast Bulletin, Paradise Magazine, May 9 – 10 2009, pg 26

- Nimbin Good Times – Feb 2009, pg 12

- Nimbin Good Times – April 2009, pg 12

- Northern Star – Our Town, March 2009, Pg 2

 

2008                - Byron Art Diary, True Art and Media

- Tweed Shire Echo – Oct 16 2009, pg 19

- Editorial - Northern Star – Lismore – the arts – Oct 25

- Editorial - Northern Star – Lismore – Our Place – Feb 26

- Nimbin Good Times – Dec 2008, pg 11

- Nimbin Good Times – Oct 2008, pg 11

- Nimbin Good Times – Sept 2008, pg 11

- Nimbin Good Times – March 2008, pg 11

- Nimbin Good Times – Jan 2008, pg 11

- Tweed Naturally Newsletter Feb 08

                        - COAST Living Magazine, summer 07/08, Issue 17, pg 152

 

2007                - Editorial - Byron Bay Echo, July 17, pg 9