The opportunity to live and study art in Paris and Stuttgart influenced the life of this painter, who was born in Texas. Her father served in the US Air Force and her family lived in various parts of the southern US as well as abroad. Her mother, Pat Simmons is an accomplished artist and gifted her daughter with a beautiful perspective of the lands they visited and the people that touched their lives.
Dona has painted and drawn portraits throughout her life, but more recently completed a mural in her daughter's school in Texas. She moved to Trinidad last July and became enchanted with the people and scenery and began painting this chapter of her life on the island, trying to capture the colourful and musical life celebration of the native people.
This work was inspired by the children's Carnival and this group of young ladies particularly captured her heart with their flowing ribbons of colour and jubilant smiles. The watercolour depicts a section on Rosalind Gabriel's "Carnival Time Again" aptly named "The River", the fluid motions of the girls and the costumes mingle to create a quiet rush of excitement.
