Donna Cusano

History

Statement

Curriculum Vitae

History

I have been making art ever since I can remember and have been blessed with a continuous thread of inspiring instructors. I participated in a rigorous art major program in high school and afterwards attended Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia , PA well prepared for what they had to offer. Majoring in Graphic Design with an emphasis on illustration, I graduated cum laude with a BFA degree in 1987.

As a young professional illustrator, I created a number of designs and images for small health industry periodicals, food manufacturers, and local marketing agents. I continued exploring the possibilities of what pastels had to offer within the drawing discipline that illustration requires. Although I was on my way to becoming a successful illustrator and enjoyed the partnership with my clients, the work itself left me uninspired.

In the early 1990s I began pastel painting ‘en plein air’. By 1992 the resulting works were accepted into a gallery near The Brandywine River Museum, where many of the most famous images created by Andrew Wyeth and his family are displayed. From this initial gallery feature came further local art shows and gallery affiliations. My exhibition opportunities expanded rapidly while my interest in illustration dwindled and by 1996 I had abandoned that part of my career altogether.

In 1994, I was accepted into The Pastel Society of America and, as a new member, was invited to jury into The Best of Pastel published by Rockport Publishers in 1996. Two paintings were accepted, and then two more in The Best of Pastel 2 published in 1998. Also in 1998, I was a finalist in The Artist’s Magazine’s Annual Art Competition.

Since the late 1990s, I have been successfully making my living as an artist. Exhibiting in an area with an active art scene, I participate in more than a dozen shows throughout the year. My work has been featured locally in Art Matters Magazine, Chester County Town and Country Living, and The Philadelphia Inquirer

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Statement

This particular collection of work spans a range of creative and life experience, although not a significant amount of time. Much of the work was completed within the last four years, the earliest of which reflects a certain confidence in my abilities as a draftsperson and visual composer. These images have hints of emotional content through the use of color, composition, and paint (pastel) application.

A trip to Ireland in 2003 brought about a sensitivity and humility to my approach to the landscape specifically that had not existed before. In addition, the journey’s physical and creative challenges, brought about mainly by the Irish countryside, reinforced the notion that the landscape format would be my primary vehicle to explore both personal and universal themes.

The most recent images investigate spatial relationships more closely than my previous work. The work deals mostly with limited space and/or how to create and negotiate the space between opposites, such as two sides or grounds.

In addition, I’ve recently revisited the notions of pop culture and decadence through paintings of pastries and fiestaware as a means of reintroducing a sense of lightheartedness into my process.

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Curriculum Vitae

Education

1987 BFA, Tyler School of Art, Temple University, cum laude graduate
1986 January-May, Tyler School of Art, Rome, Italy

Select Juried Exhibitions

1999-2006    The Rittenhouse Square Fine Arts Annual, Philadelphia, PA
1995-2006    The Yellow Springs Art Show, Chester Springs, PA
2000-2006    An Evening of Art, Hardcastle Gallery, Wilmington, DE
1999-2004    Ronald McDonald House of Delaware Artfest, Wilmington, DE
1995-2000    The Philadelphia Water Color Society Anniversary Exhibition of Works on Paper
1999-2000    Members’ Exhibition, The Community Arts Center, Wallingford, PA
1999             The Pastel Society of America 27th Annual Exhibition of Pastels Only, New York, NY
1999             The Montgomery County Guild of Professional Artists Open Juried Landscape                           Exhibition, PA

Select Group Exhibitions

2005               Pure Pigment: A Pastel Invitational, Hardcastle Gallery, Centreville, DE
2002, 03, 05   Living With Art, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA
1999-2003      Craft Forms, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA
2002               Plein Air: Three Artists, Hardcastle Gallery, Centreville, DE
2000-2002      Arts and Antiques, DFVA at Hagley Museum, Wilmington, DE
2000               Different Strokes; An Exhibition of Pastels, Hardcastle Gallery, Centreville, DE
1999               Location, Location, Location: Seven Artists Working En Plein Air, Wallingford, PA
1998               Pastels in Bloom, The Greater Norristown Art League, Norristown, PA
1997               The Bianco Gallery Invitational Exhibition, Buckingham, PA
1997               Great Works in Series, Meriam Perlman Gallery, Chicago, IL

Awards

2005            Viewer’s Choice Award, Faculty Exhibition, Community Arts Center, Wallingford, PA
2001-2005   Bayard T. Berndt Award of Excellence, An Evening of Art, Hardcastle Gallery, DE
1999-2002   Second Prize, Drawings/Pastels, Rittenhouse Square Fine Arts Annual,Phila., PA
2001            Third Prize, The Art League of Delaware County Annual Juried Exhibition, PA
2000            Second Prize, An Evening of Art, Hardcastle Gallery, Wilmington, DE
1999            The Pastel Society of North Florida Award, The Pastel Society of America, New York
1999            First Prize, Drawings/Pastels, Greater Norristown Art League Juried Exhibition, PA
1999          Best of Show, First Prize Drawings/Pastels, Community Arts Center, PA
1999            Best of Show (Grumbacher Award), The Art League of Delaware County, PA
1999            Second Prize, Drawings/Pastels, The Spirit of Art Show, Wilmington, DE
1998            Finalist, The Artist’s Magazine Art Annual Competition
1997            The Byers Choice Award, The Bianco Gallery Fourth Annual Juried Exhibition, PA
1997-1996   Second Prize, Drawings/Pastels, The Community Arts center Members Show, PA
1996            The Graphic Arts Inc. Award for Drawings, The Philadelphia Water Color Soc. PA

Solo Exhibitions

2007 "Further Afield," Solo Exhibition, Hardcastle Gallery, Centreville , DE

2005        “A Touch of Class-Donna and Her Invited Students,” Hardcastle Gallery, Centreville , DE
2003        “A Full Palette,” The Cosmopolitan Club, Philadelphia , PA
2003        “Fertile Ground; Recent Pastels,” Hardcastle Gallery. Centreville, DE
2001        “Color and Connections; Works in Series,” Hardcastle Gallery, Centerville, DE
1998        Darlington Fine Arts Center, Wawa, PA

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	©2008 Hardcastle Gallery Centreville, Delaware, USA