Artist Statement:
Being a native Floridian, my first artistic love is old world Florida and conservation of its native lands, animals, history and cultures. I am passionate about raising awareness of critical losses in all of these areas and use my artistic platform for visual education. I combine my passion for color and detail to produce works of art with a flair for the dramatic. I am widely recognized for my realistic representations of Florida which include such subject matter as water birds, landscapes, orchids, all matter of critters and human portrayals.
I enjoy painting with various mediums on a variety of surfaces and specialize in watercolor I teach workshops and classes and have been recognized in Watercolor Artists Magazine as a “Top 10 Watercolor Artist to Watch”. I hold signature statuses in the National Watercolor Society, Southern Watercolor Society and the Florida Watercolor Society as well as my mastership in the Florida Suncoast Watercolor Society.
I was born and raised in Bradenton, Florida where I learned to love the land through my family’s activities with agriculture and coastal living. I was an active member in numerous community organizations and went on to attend Furman University in Greenville, SC earning a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with an interest in advertising design. Post-graduation I moved to Tampa where I worked as a chamber of commerce communications manager and as a graphic designer. I created and ran my own company, Bayou Graphics, Inc, which focused mainly on print design. Ten years later I sold the company and moved into fine art exclusively.
I have shown my work and earned numerous awards and praise throughout the state of Florida as well as the country at large. I have participated in traveling national exhibitions, am an active member of many local and state art organizations and have held board positions with the Florida Watercolor Society, Tampa Regional Artists, Art Center Manatee and Las Damas de Arte. I have a solo gallery in shared space with Smith Brothers Framing in Tampa, Florida. Most of my work can be viewed online at my website.
Corporate & Private Exhibitions / Personal Gallery:
Smith Brothers Framing & Gallery/private gallery 2016-2023
Art Extravaganza, Tampa, FL, annual exhibit 2011-2023
UBS Financial Svcs, Sarasota, FL, solo exhibit 2009-10
CovetArt USA, Tampa, annual exhibit Nov 2007-10
USF Hope House, group show 2008-09
Art for a Cure, Pediatric Cancer Foundation, group 2008-09
Weedon Island St Pk, St. Petersburg, solo exhibit 2005, 2008
Frame Factory & Gallery, Bradenton, solo exhibit Nov 2006
Platform America, Lakeland, group exhibit Feb 2007
Hillsborough County Center, Tampa, solo exhibit Dec 2005
Sarasota Bay Community, Sarasota, group exhibit Feb 2005
Kotler Art Gallery, Tampa, solo exhibit Aug 2005
Bank of St. Petersburg, Tampa, solo exhibit Jul 2004
Art in Public Places & Galleries:
International Watercolor Society of Florida / USA 2023
Florida Watercolor Society Exhibitions 2008-23
Florida Suncoast Watercolor Exhibitions 2009-23
Manatee Art Center exhibitions 2008-23
Southern Watercolor Society Exhibitions 2009-23
Tallahassee/TriState Watercolor Exhibitions 2011-23
Tampa International Airport / Florida Watercolor 2022
Fallbrook Art Center, CA International Exhibition 2022
Tampa Bay Lightning/Celebration of the Arts 2020
Sarasota Art Ovation Hotel / Florida Watercolor 2019
National Watercolor Society Exhibition 2015, 2018
Tampa Bay Business Journal Book of Lists 2016/17
Watercolor USA, Springfield MO Museum 2016
Ruth Eckerd Hall/Tampa Bay Magazine Art Exhibit: 2016
HB Plant Museum, Tampa 2016
St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Art / gift shop 2011-16
Gateway Center for the Arts, exhibition, DeBary, FL 2012
Moffit Cancer Journal: Featured Artist 2008, 2011
Paint America / National Top 100 2015, 2009, 2006
The Expose Art of Westshore Alliance, Public Art Banner Program 2007-08
Tampa International Airport: Public Art Banner Program 2008
Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, Emerging Artists, Tampa 2006
Awards and Special Honors:
Watercolor Artist Magazine: Top 10 National Artist to Watch, Dec 2012 issue
Florida Suncoast Watercolor Society: Best of Show 2010, 2nd place 2019
The Tallahassee Watercolor Society: 2nd place 2018, 3rd place 2016, Sheila Varn Memorial Award 2021
Tampa Regional Artist Society (TRA): Watercolor Show: 1st place: 2017, 2013, 2011, 2009
TRA Bay Area Art Show: Best of Show, watercolor, 2019, 2015, 2014, 2013 2010, 2009
TRA Faces & Figures: 1st place:,2010
TRA Fin, Fur & Feathers: 1st place, 2013
Art Center Manatee: 1st place 2018
All Florida Juried Show: 1st place 2014, 2019
Brandon League of Fine Arts: Artworks, 1st place 2010 & 2022
Brandon League of Fine Arts: Member Show 2017, Chuck McLaughlin Memorial Award
Florida Watercolor Society Annual Exhibition 2021: 3rd place
Education:
Bachelors of Arts in Business Administration, Furman University 1986
Professional Experience :
1987 – 1988 Communications Manager, Brandon Chamber of Commerce
1989 – 1990 Graphic Designer for a local women’s magazine: Elan, The Tampa Bay Woman
1991 – 2001 Owned independent computer graphic design company specializing in print media
2001 – Present: Artist, Watercolor instructor, lecturer, juror
Memberships:
The National Watercolor Society, Signature Member 2015-2023
The Florida Watercolor Society (FWS), Signature & Lifetime Member 2003-2023
FWS Director of Communications 2014-18 / Corresponding Secretary: 2004-05
Florida Suncoast Watercolor Society, Master Artist & Signature Member 2009-2023
The Southern Watercolor Society, Signature Member 2013-2023
The Tallahassee Watercolor Society, Signature Member 2009-2023
Tampa Regional Artist Society, Board Member 2019-current, Member 2009-2023
Art Center Manatee: Board member : 2021-current, Member 2010-2023
Press:
https://www.fox13news.com/video/939516
https://www.83degreesmedia.com/features/gift-guide-to-Tampa-Clearwater-Sarasota-local-makers-120120.aspx
https://www.watercolor-painting.com/watercolor-artists/region/north-america/united-states/florida/page/1/
https://www.tallahasseearts.org/artist/donna-morrison/
https://hillsborougharts.org/local-women-artists-donna-morrison/
https://www.artistsnetwork.com/art-mediums/watercolor/2012-ones-to-watch/
https://www.tamparegionalartists.com/calendar/workshops/batik-p83e7-8zbxm-bwdtf-dg29h-r6t2h
Publications:
Recorded in person and online instructional videos for watercolor painting techniques through the Florida Watercolor Society. Available
on FWS YouTube channels 2019, 2021, 2023