“I have a huge imagination that is inspired by anything that comes within my vision. Some of my work is thought to be abstract but to me it is not - it is representational of points of perception that range from cellular to universal. I see functioning systems where others may see nothing. As one of my creations unfolds, it offers the next possibility, which soon becomes another part of my visionary cosmology. The cosmic, visceral explosions in my earlier paintings transmuted into sacred, nature based tapestries. After years of creating a dense, deeply felt and intense vision I discovered a commanding secret language, as mysterious to me as it is to others who have told me it is reminiscent of the Rosetta Stone, runes or other lost languages." Donna Balma

Donna Balma is an innovative and prolific Canadian artist currently living in the Pacific Northwest Rainforest of B.C., Canada. As an artist, she was a late starter and her work is profoundly affected by nature and her internal visions. She has established herself as an imaginative artist whose work has been variously described as fantasy, naïve, singuleur, outsider, visionary, classical, folk, cosmic pop, and surreal amongst others.

She is a published writer of short stories; and a performance artist. Balma participates in many exhibitions that reflect the diversity of media in which she works. Balma spent her married life in England and returned to her birthplace, British Columbia, to build a studio and home on Mt. Elphinstone. She discovered Raw Vision Magazine which influenced her direction and planted seeds for her future work. Her work has been exhibited and is in private collections in many countries.

Art Education:

Donna Balma is a self-taught artist who has always lived within an art community. She has traveled through the United States, Britain, and Europe to independently study art and to be aware of contemporary and progressive development of ideas in art. Through reading art books, borrowed from friends, she kept her sense of being an artist alive, even during the years of parenting when it was impossible to actually create art. She counts her years as an artist model and as a member of a life-drawing group as a major contribution to her vision. The work she saw in “Raw Vision” Magazine clicked for her. From there it was her good fortune to find the “Raw Visions” discussion group and the Internal Guidance System exhibition group.

Gallery Comment :

Balma is not restricted to one style or one message. Her art is broad, wide, encompassing the wonder of what she sees and feels around her, regardless of the style she chooses.

The fairly large oil on canvas glyph series are "writings" that sit on a scumbled lustrous field that give them the importance they claim. What they mean of course, is of no importance, it's their claim to importance that is significant and meaningful. A brilliant exercise of freedom and spontaneous gesture.  
A very different approach are the small, thematic, intimate portraits of couples wearing lush, intricate, extravagant clothing. It's curious that the couples all appear to be women, or at least present their feminine aspect. 

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Professional Memberships:

Internal Guidance Systems, U.S.A.
Survivors Art Foundation, U.S.A.
Sunshine Coast Arts Centre, Sechelt, BC
Gallery Gachet, Vancouver, B.C.
ARTROM Gallery GUILD, Rome, Italy

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F E A T U R E D  A R T W O R K

" Journey to Mecca "

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