From a very young age, Dona Gelsinger had a love and appreciation for art. She would sit for hours watching her grandfather as he painted landscapes in oil. Each brushstroke told a story and created a memory. It was here Dona fell in love with the magic of storytelling through art. She went on to study at Cal State Long Beach and, after graduation, began her career as a staff artist in advertising.
After starting a family, she turned to freelance and was blessed with her first major commission to paint 14 life-size Stations of the Cross paintings for St. Denis Church in Diamond Bar, CA. The project was a tremendous blessing and achievement for such a young artist who had never before attempted anything on this scale. From that point on, Dona knew her life's work was to use her God-given talent to the best of her abilities.
For over two decades now, Dona has been captivating hearts and sharing smiles through her paintings. She takes the best stories in life and puts them on canvas, just as her grandfather taught her many years before. Whether she’s painting a majestic angel or a rugged mountain cabin, she immerses herself in the painting as she tells a story with each stroke.
Dona and her family reside in the picturesque Rogue River Valley of southern Oregon where the region’s natural beauty and abundant wildlife continue to inspire new works of art.
A resident of the Pacific Northwest, Dona Gelsinger is constantly inspired by the beauty of her surroundings. Pine trees, wildlife, and dramatic skies appear in many of her paintings, while others feature classic Christmas stories and faith-based scenes. Dona masterfully employs sharp contrast between light, shadow, and vibrantly saturated colors to create a sense of depth and realism. The artist draws inspiration from a variety of subjects, but angels are among her favorites. She captures their hopeful, inspiring nature in richly detailed paintings that have touched the hearts of countless viewers and collectors. Whatever the subject or scenery, Dona's art is unified by a sense of warmth and vividness that reflects her total involvement in the work.
In two words, it's romanticized realism. With each painting, Dona strives to make an emotional connection with the viewer. More than making art look like a photograph, it's about creating the most perfect version of life's greatest moments.