Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Donna Corvi. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Donna, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
Drawing and painting has always been a passion of mine since I learned how to hold a crayon.
As a youngster art was always my favorite subject in class and while my friends took it as a free time away from books. I had parents who always cherished the artwork I did and gave to them as gifts….when my mom passed away at 82 years old, I had to clean through her house and I came upon boxes of old artwork, from pre- kindergarten all the way through high school. I didn’t realize how much she saved and what it meant to her.
When I was 10 years old, my parents gave me a professional artists wooden paint box, complete with oil paints, brushes, and a 9X12 canvas. It was the best gift I ever received. In fact I still have that very first painting I did hanging up….it’s of a tree. And trees are about 95% of the subject matter I do today.
I also recall when I was a junior in h.s. that I did have an urge to consider going into medicine. I asked my parents, should I pursue art or try medicine? My mother said ” I can’t tell you what you should do–you have to feel it inside, and I know you’ll make the right choice for yourself. Love what you do,” And that was that. I graduated from Parsons School of Design in NYC with a BFA, and went right into freelance illustrating for the next 18 years, until I switched over to fine art painting. And never a regret or a look back. I couldn’t have asked for more supportive parents!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I was raised and educated in NYC, a real native New-Yorker. I went to HS of Art & Design, then Parsons School of Design, and The New School. Immediately after that I was a free-lance illustrator, working primarily in airbrush and watercolor. My clients included advertising agencies, publishing companies, womens magazines, greeting cards and more. After a while, for many years I had a design studio in SoHo. But the world of commercial art was beginning to weigh me down and I longed to “loosen up” and paint for myself, instead of what clients demanded.
It was both scary and a relief to leave that world behind and to venture into an unknown world of painting what I wanted to paint, to please only myself. You can’t take that leap unless you are prepared for the challenges of exhibiting, being rejected, then being accepted, every time I entered a show. Being invited into shows became more frequent, as did selling my work but the personal reward of being recognized for my work was beyond compare. Painting is a solitary profession. I am fortunate to be married to a musician, who understands and also needs his creative time and space. My subject matter is almost exclusively trees, branches. I find my inspirations on my daily walks thru the woods or along the road or on the beach. I’ve done these walks for years, but there’s something new to see each time, whether it’s how the sunlight hits the limbs, or the fog curls it’s way through the trees, or the moonlight shadows….I see paintings forming in my head. My mission it to make people a little bit more aware of the trees around them. And some have! I now have people who send me photos of beautiful trees they see on their walks or on their vacations….
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
Creative people see things differently. And they solve problems differently. For a while I did some design work for a school my daughter attended. Once they got to know me, they hired me to take on a special project that didn’t require any of my artistic ability, but they wanted a different take on how to make it work. It was a big success!
I find my artistic nature makes itself known everywhere all the time: like how I set the table, throw a dinner party, decorate my home, dress, and now, as I run a gallery in Montauk, in curating the shows we hold each season.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
Yes. I had a fabulous artistic education both in HS and in College. However one thing was never discussed back then, and that was “how to run a business”!!! In hindsight that was critical info we just were never taught, and we didn’t know to ask!. A course in finance and how to run a small business is essential and would have helped enormously.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.donnacorvi.com
- Instagram: @dacdny
Image Credits
all images are property of DACorvi