in studio …

WITH DONNA GIRAUD

“I wanted to provide a positive experience and give people hope that we can get through it together and just shine some light on those moments.”

Together is better

Artist offers antidote to chaos and fear

WORDS LISA MANFIELD PORTRAIT LIA CROWE

For so many people, the COVID-19 pandemic has been about distancing from one another. But for Vancouver artist Donna Giraud, it’s the opposite that has stood out in her mind since March: the moments of coming together to overcome these challenging times.

For Donna, those moments have included checking in on elderly neighbours and spending time chatting with people in the park, not to mention an 84-day stint of socially distanced neighbourhood happy hours and an 87-day span of 7 pm pot-banging for frontline workers.

“My husband is a doctor working directly with COVID patients, and I’m a former nurse, so it hits close to home,” she says. “We’ve been remembering the basics: connecting with people.”

Capturing those moments of connection on canvas has been a natural extension of her community engagement. And Donna’s September 12 exhibition, entitled Together Is Always Better, reflected the positive perspective she has adopted since the pandemic began.

“There’s been so much chaos and fear,” she says. “I wanted to provide a positive experience and give people hope that we can get through it together and just shine some light on those moments.”

Donna—whose large-scale, thickly textured acrylic-oncanvas abstract paintings have always leaned toward positive vibes—has been painting about kindness and connection for nearly 20 years, so her approach to the pandemic wasn’t a giant leap.

“I do not like negativity,” she says. “Kindness and connection are themes that found me when I first started painting. They come out naturally in the shapes, textures and colour palettes I use. There’s always a lightness and peaceful tranquility people just get when they see my work.”

Bolstered by the success of her first online exhibit in May, filmed at the The Space Gallery in Yaletown, which she also co-runs part-time, Donna upped her artistic output this year.

“Typically I only do one exhibit per year and a bunch of trade show events, but COVID-19 cancelled all of those,” she says. “I had a big show planned for May but since I couldn’t do it in person, I pivoted and put the whole thing online.”

Donna’s husband filmed her in the gallery as she presented each piece, and when they put it up on YouTube, it was a big hit.

“This happened when everyone was in quarantine and it gave people an event to go to—something exciting to see,” she says. “It made me realize this is something people want. I ended up selling eight pieces out of 12 within 48 hours—it was absolutely insane. Every artist wants to sell out a show, but it typically doesn’t happen.”

That’s when Donna decided to do a second show, Together Is Always Better, this time both online and in person with very limited numbers (42 people, and tickets sold out).

“Two people at a time can come into the gallery,” she says. “Each painting was draped off and staff would be wearing masks. The next day (September 13), I released the live show online so people could see it that way too.”

But first, she needed fresh art—and fast. While planning a new show would normally take her six months, Donna quickly produced eight new pieces. Her new paintings are recognizable to anyone who knows her signature style of textured shapes and emotionally evocative colour palettes.

“One of my pieces is titled Joining Forces Can Move Mountains,” she says. “There’s a stormy look to a sky with clouds coming around in a circle. It alludes to the idea that if we do come together, we are so much more capable by putting together all our expertise.”

Donna says her own expertise and success as an artist have come down to her hard work and ability to pivot when needed—like teaching herself web design last year. And unlike some creative types, she thrives on daily routines and an entrepreneurial mindset.

“I love the flexibility, but I don’t do well unless I have a schedule set up for me,” she says. “Especially with shows and so many moving parts. I’ve had to be completely on point—lots of to-do lists; lots of schedules. Doing an exhibit online and in-person doubles the amount of work because you also have to make a web page and video. I’ve been the busiest I’ve been in quite some time.”

All her positivity and determination is paying off this year, though.

“It’s been the most lucrative year of my career. People are looking at their empty walls and wanting to build their sanctuary by surrounding themselves with beautiful things, and for that I’m very grateful. Art provides that sense of calm and peace.”

And while she’s thrilled to be selling her work, she admits it can be tough to see each painting go.

“Every piece has a personal connection, so it’s hard for me to let go of when someone wants it,” she says. “I put my soul on canvas; my innermost thoughts and feelings. But I know it’s doing a service.”