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Donna’s creative practice focuses on political, social, emotional and educationally motivated themes such as stigma, communication, mental health, isolation, inclusion and lived experience. With lived experience of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Bipolar Disorder, both highly stigmatised mental health condition, Donna will be using the Award funding to exhibit Light and Shade at the well-respected Belco Art Gallery, Canberra, in an exhibition that will coincide with Mental Health Week and BPD Awareness Week in 2024.
Light and Shade is a groundbreaking exploration of DBT through a visual medium. DBT centres around a synthesis of opposites, and the exhibition’s themes of acceptance and change, two seemingly disparate forces, are explored through a visceral, emotional work.
Donna aims to challenge the stigma around BPD through the explorative and interactive journey of visual and conceptual language in Light and Shade. Her audience will engage without judgement through self-reflection and expression, whilst discovering new perspectives about DBT and BPD.
“I was really surprised to hear my application for the {2023} Access Arts Achievement Award was successful. As much as you think your work is relevant, disability in arts is often not regarded as ‘real art’ but something outside the mainstream. I’m working at changing that opinion in the community and in my own mind,” said Donna.
Nigel Lavender, a member of the judging panel, said, “Donna’s work, Light and Shade, truly stood out for its exceptional artistic merit, aligning seamlessly with our mission to elevate artists with disability or disadvantage who are breaking down barriers and challenging stereotypes. Access Arts believes in recognising the careers and ongoing success of artists like Donna and providing tangible support.”
The Award honours and supports artists with disabilities who have demonstrated exceptional creativity and innovation in their chosen artistic field, offering a $10,000 prize to support ongoing work.
Donna has a Bachelor of Art in visual art, a graduate diploma in painting and a Masters in fine art. Her work has been shown at five solo exhibitions, and has appeared in publications including Australian Psychiatry, Australasian Psychiatry and The British Journal of Psychiatry. In 2022 Donna was a recipient of Access Arts SAFE Grant award which provides a one-off $1,000 funding opportunity for emerging and professional artists living with disability. This funding provided Donna the opportunity to commence her Light and Shade exhibition.
Light and Shade will open at Belco Arts at 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen ACT, on Friday 30 August 2024, and continue until Sunday 13 October 2024. Access Arts will be eagerly following and sharing the progress of this exhibition as it develops.
