Today we’d like to introduce you to Donna Arnold.
Donna, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I have always been a creative individual but didn’t know how to fully express myself until I picked up a camera 13 years ago. Since then, photography has been a passion of mine. It’s a layer of creativity hidden deep inside only to be revealed through my art. Real life can be a difficult place at times and I use my artwork as a time to reflect. It’s my escape from reality, I tend to lose myself and let my imagination run wild when creating my work.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I consider myself a Fine Art Conceptual Photographer. My emotions define my artistic style, mysterious, enchanting, fairytale-like or dark and brooding. My inspiration comes from my dreams, fairytale stories I read as a child, and a deep passion for the unknown. I’m self-taught, in photography, lighting and post processing. I build my own sets, props and experiment with different ideas. I primarily use Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop to create my work. Photo shoot ideas are created in my dreams and artistic imagination. I envision a dramatic scene in my mind and turn it into a story, a feeling and then an image. I’m known for using moody tones to create a dramatic atmosphere, pulling the viewer into my fantasy so they can be a part of my creation. My work allows me to explore the imagined, be dream-like and mystical. Photography is a huge part of my life. It’s not only what I love to do, it’s a softer, passionate side of me people rarely get to see. One could say my images are a window to my soul. They are dark when I feel sadness or fairytale-like when I am happy. They are a definite reflection of how I feel at any given moment. I believe when you are an artist you incorporate your mood into your art, that’s what makes it your own unique style.
What responsibility, if any, do you think artists have to use their art to help alleviate problems faced by others? Has your art been affected by issues you’ve concerned about?
Most people are moved by art. Depending on the mood of the individual, being from events happening around them or in their personal lives, art will impact them in some way. As an artist, I want to connect with people, I believe most artists today feel the same. There’s a special connection between the artist and the viewer. I hope my images resonate in the mind of the viewer and make an emotional impression long after they have been viewed.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
You can find my work on my website and follow me on Instagram and Facebook. I’m always looking to connect and collaborate with other creative artists, whether it be other photographers, models, MUA’s or designers. There are some amazing creative individuals out there that share the same passion that I do. Collaborating with them to create beautiful imagery is truly inspiring.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.photographybydonna.net
- Phone: 630-779-1673
- Email: photographybydonna@comcast.net
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/donnaarnoldphotography/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/donnaarnoldphotography/
Image Credit:
Ashley Wilusz, Lauren Beyer, Juanita Watson, Lulu Blythe.
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