A self-taught, active member of Vancouver’s growing art community, Donna Giraud creates abstract work that brings the emotions behind our city’s landscape to life on canvas. The fluidity in her artistic style allows each viewer to feel their own connection with a piece; the blend of layers and palette create both depth and interpretation. In this month’s Home Is Where The Art Is, Giraud has invited us to explore both her inspirations and process from her Main Street studio.
Tell us a little about yourself. My name is Donna Giraud and I am a Vancouver contemporary abstract artist. I am self-taught and create work that evokes conversation and challenges personal exploration. Fascinated by the endless possibilities of artistic expression, I paint purely from the heart and attempt to convey intensity, strength, beauty and tranquility.
How did you get started in art and what led you to where you are now? My path to become an artist has certainly not been an orthodox one. I picked up a paintbrush about 10 years ago and uncovered that I had a natural ability to bring my emotions to life on canvas.
What colour best describes your personality? Turquoise: It portrays both power and tranquility.
What is your favourite accessory (for home or personal)? I hate to say it, but it’s my iPhone. I can instantly respond to emails and post social media at any point of the day. Being a successful artist is so much more than just painting, and my IPhone takes my business to the next level (that and a wine glass full of Pinot Grigio).
When it comes to style/design, what is the one thing you covet the most? I covet a clean and minimalistic design. My studio is bright, white and allows for a brilliant flow in energy. I often get made fun of that my studio is so white, but I feel most productive surrounded by that style.
Do you have any predictions for the future of your industry? I am becoming more involved with Vancouver’s art scene and am passionate about helping make our industry known around the world. There are so many talented creatives in Vancouver and I want to be part of the movement that makes the world pay attention.
Who is your idol or mentor? I have an unbelievably supportive and eclectic community of artists that surround me, most notably, Bill Higginson. Bill has the perseverance and passion like no artist I have ever met. I have been fortunate enough to be invited into his world and mentorship.
What is your favourite creative website? Direct2Artist, an artistic platform created by Bill Higginson and Colin Brown. It is an online gallery where people can come to purchase amazing art from all over the world, it is actually a program that artists can use to run their business. You can have your website, manage your inventory, sell on line, create newsletters, create mailing lists, and follow your analytics all from one site. This has made my life so much more manageable and efficient.
If you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing? I have been one of the head nurses at St Paul’s Hospital for the last seven years, so that is definitely what I would be doing if I wasn’t an artist. Whether it is through artistic creations or western medicine, I am someone that thrives by helping others so I have definitely chosen the right two careers that feed my soul.
If you could describe your artistic style in one word, what would it be? Visceral.
If you could speak to a room of youth who were considering careers in the arts, what would your advice be? Learn how to be and run a business. You cannot just rely on the ability to create art. If we are ever to diminish the globally accepted “starving artist” mentality, we have to take this seriously and be smart with our business decisions. Take the time to go above and beyond, take care of your buyers, input your receipts and invoices, market and promote, etc, etc! You can’t sit in your basement studio and just hope that it will all come together. It’s a lot of hard work but it’s so worth it!
