See Lynne’s work in this Simply Buckhead article!
Voyage ATL
Life & Work with Lynne McDonald
September 28, 2022
Today we’d like to introduce you to Lynne McDonald.
Hi Lynne, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I wasn’t always an artist. I thought like an artist, but I considered it a bad thing. I tried for a long time to suppress my ostensibly unconventional tendencies and took jobs in sales and marketing high-tech companies for years, but I was never truly happy or fulfilled. I grew up financially unstable so job security was far more important.
In 2005 I had a calling I could not ignore. It was a nagging image of a painting….but I wasn’t a painter! I had no clue where to start. So I sat on it for a long nine months before I couldn’t hold it in any longer.
I saw a friend’s collection of original paintings in their new home and decided I needed to do something about it so I headed to the art supply store! I asked a few questions and left with one large canvas, one paint brush and three tubes of paint. I painted the canvas on the wall because I didn’t even have an easel.
I had my art collector friend over to see my finished work and his jaw dropped. I was pleased but thought it was an anomaly and promptly put away my paintbrush and decided to quit while I was ahead!
I moved away to Montreal and it wasn’t for another decade before I felt the nagging feeling again.; an inspiration I could not ignore.
I posted little experiments on Facebook and people responded. I was asked to do a piece for one person and then another and another. I just kept saying yes!
Against the fear of failure and public humiliation, I kept posting my paintings and in January of 2020, I went all-in with my business as a full-time artist. I worked hard to fill my schedule with art shows and events throughout the year…
And then the pandemic hit us! I had to cancel everything and started posting live art shows from my home and low and behold I ended up having more success than I ever imagined!
Now I have hundreds of collectors all over the United States and the world. Even as far away as Greece! My work has been juried and won awards. I have large commercial buildings with my artwork and am currently the featured artist at Serendipity Labs. I have representation in Florida and Alabama. And I have cleared paintings for film and tv work. I am an artist!
If you had told me in my twenties that I would be making a living and supporting my son as an artist and stirring souls with my artwork I never would’ve believed you. I never allowed myself to dream that far outside the box. Now I tell people to follow their dreams as wild as you think they are because that is what makes their life unique and special. That is their gift to the world. Just keep saying yes!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s a very vulnerable position to open up your heart, pour it all over a canvas and ask the public what they think of it. I had to overcome fear of criticism and get over nasty comments like, “that’s not art” from people that didn’t understand or appreciate abstract. I realize not everyone is going to like my work and that in itself is challenging. But sticking my toe in the art world and then being hit with a pandemic and economic uncertainty was way beyond normal concerns. I have a son depending on me. Failure was not an option, but I was stubborn as well and my happiness wasn’t up for negotiation. I didn’t want my son to see me sell my soul either. There’s a balance and I’m hyper-aware that he is watching.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I love organic composition. I fell in love with the chemical reactions of different mediums when I first saw it back in the early 2000s. When I started exploring ways to express myself artistically, I gravitated to astronomy and galactic imaging. I kept trying to get these webs onto the canvas by mixing different pigments with different mediums to create different viscosity and then manage how they reacted. It was always more interesting to me how paints repelled rather than blended.
There are many artists that pour, but mine is a little different. I do larger pieces and that in itself has different challenges with pooling and managing composition…
I have chosen to grow my own online gallery and show solo events throughout Atlanta. I am so grateful to have my artwork embraced. Every artist wants to create an emotional impact and spread beauty.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Completely reinventing myself mid-life made me realize what a gift this life is and it should never be squandered. By that, I mean that I intuitively knew that my purpose in life was to spread love and beauty but thought that was fanciful and unimportant. Now that I’m willing to do the work I see how much of an impact I can make. It has made people happy in a way I never thought possible and that in turn has enriched my life beyond imaginable.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lynnemcdonald.com
- Instagram: @lynnemcdonaldsgallery
- Facebook: Lynne McDonald’s Gallery
- Twitter: Lynne McDonald
See the article here!
Image Credits
Chelsea Patricia Photography Tran Bui Productions.
Get a Sneak Peek at The 2022 Over 40 & Fabulous Top 10 and Super 6 Winners
July 29, 2022
Lynne McDonald
August 14, 2020 issue
Catch Up with 10 Years of Over 40 & Fabulous! Alumni
As an independent artist it is important to plan my exhibits well in advance and my 2020 calendar was full! Then, every one's lives changed. Being Type 1 diabetic, it was important to cancel my entire itinerary and while gallery shows waned, I decided to embrace the situation and look for opportunities. I have opened channels for growth with real estate partners, targeted business professionals on LinkedIn and expanded my social media with virtual gallery shows. Each allows my art to bring joy and serve as inspiration for people who are spending more time at home.
Best Self Atlanta Magazine, Over 40 & Fabulous Winner!
Lynne can be found featured on the cover of the June 2018 issue
Winner
Lynne McDonald
Lynne McDonald, 49, wears many hats as artist, writer, editor, and business consultant. The Type 1 diabetic is determined to never let her illness prevent her from living life on her own terms.
What is your favorite way to work out? I love to dance. Give me a good song and I don't care how tired I am.
What is your favorite healthy meal? My son and I love to make a delicious and healthy version of ice cream with frozen bananas, cherries and dark chocolate chips.
What is your favorite way to give back to your community? I am a Development Committee Member and Co-chair of the PR/Marketing Committee with Camp Kudzu, which is an organization dedicated to educating and supporting children with Type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is when your pancreas fails to produce enough insulin. It's a complex problem to have while you're also figuring out who you are. Becoming Type 1 diabetic as a teenager was a struggle for me and I ended up doing some damage until I started learning more about nutrition in my 20s. I hope to shorten that learning process for the campers, be a role model and show them that they can do anything they want.
I'm also on the board of Hands Across Atlanta, an organization working to improve the lives of homeless people in our community. Marcus Acosta, the nonprofit's president, has been organizing volunteers at Hurt Park every second Sunday of the month. It's a great way for everyone, including children, to get involved in charity.
What advice do you have for someone who isn't yet over 40 and fabulous? Look at who you want to be in 10 or 20 years and be that person now.
What is your favorite getaway? I absolutely love going up to Asheville. My perfect day would be to go hiking, go to the River Arts District, and then come back and be pampered at The Spa at The Omni Grove Park Inn.
Name something on your bucket list. I want to learn how to fence.
Who are the experts/professionals who help you be your best self? Christa Burton, who is an artist, model and friend, is my fashion and beauty expert. She makes beautiful jewelry. Salon Brookwood is a fantastic hair salon in West Cobb. I always walk out feeling gorgeous. Maryan Aiken is a powerhouse promoter. Denise Jackson is an amazing art curator and consultant. Dr. Jonathan Ownby is my go-to endocrinologist at Atlanta Diabetes Associates. And Michel Fontaine, the CEO of TransacXion Technologies, is one of my biggest cheerleaders and gets me to step outside the box and get uncomfortable. He hired me to create a go-to-market strategy for his finance technology company.
Where do you see yourself in 20 years? I don't know. Maybe there will be a Sexy Over Sixty contest then!
'We are so very excited to have on talk radio's hottest show "the Conversation" award winning, juried artist, gallery owner and activist Lynne McDonald! Tune in (show starts 7pm EST) 5-9-18"
www.conversationswithklarque.com
To learn more about Lynne's work with T1Diabetes and the Camp Kudzu fundraiser she talks about on the show go to:
https://www.campkudzu.org
CALIFORNIA | ATLANTA | MONTREAL
Lynne McDonald. Artist. Beyond Beauty. Unity & Empowerment. Honoree.
Interviewed by : Maryan Aiken. Founder. CEO. Publisher. PaperGlass Media
“I grew up in California. I was immersed in the start-up culture of Silicon Valley. My first real job was as a Producer for a startup animation company. I created relationships with Pixar, ILM, PDI and Dreamworks. It connected me with creative people and got me addicted to technology and the start-up atmosphere. In 1999 I moved to Atlanta and teamed up with some GA Tech entrepreneurs to launch six more businesses before shifting gears, moving to Montreal and starting to paint. I painted my first piece in 2005 for myself and thought that would be it for me.
In 2012, my son and I moved back to Atlanta and after a traumatic divorce, I found myself needing to reinvent myself once again. One conversation about art and painting led a woman to ask me to do a commission for her and I jumped at the opportunity even though I really didn’t have any idea what I was doing. I threw myself into the chemistry of acrylic paint and Lynne McDonald’s Gallery was born. I mix my own paint to be different viscosity's and pour them on the canvas. While most artists are taught blending techniques, I was more interested in what they did when they repelled.
It's been an interesting road of learning and discovery. I've done it all; galleries, restaurants, festivals, hotels, commercial spaces and am now making my introduction in into the world of film by licensing my pieces to production companies. I love the Atlanta art community and have enjoyed finding my voice.
Currently I’m working on a pop up show called Seduce, as well as a large installation at 32 Dental and I also recently signed with an agency for commercial contracts too. If there's one thing I've learned in life, it's to run with the opportunities it brings you.
Who has been the strongest influence in your life and why? My mother is a therapist, an author and an entrepreneur.
Your biggest trial that you had to tackle and how did you overcome the challenge? Becoming diabetic as a teenager. I had always been healthy and active. I went from being energetic and involved to feeling lethargic and depressed. It took me a while to come to terms with having a chronic auto-immune disease and what that meant for my future. And not being able to eat ice-cream anymore was devastating!
In all seriousness, Diabetes is a deceptive, slow-killing, insidious disease. Type 2 has gotten a lot of attention in the last decade because of the epidemic proportion of new cases. It is largely controlled by diet and exercise. Type 1 used to be called childhood onset diabetes, because it is children who would develop it. Their pancreas' would fail to make insulin requiring insulin therapy. These children look like everyone else, but without insulin their insides decay. I feel for these kids and want to show them that they aren't outcasts. They are cutting edge! I show them my pump and call myself the bionic woman. I tell their family not to coddle their fears, but frame their situation in a way that they can feel proud. I try to be a role model for them and help them to see that taking care of themselves is cool.
One thing that you are grateful for that makes you happy. Explain why?
I'm so grateful for my son. He's my miracle baby. He's been my main motivator and makes me a better person.
Traits and habits that proved to be successful for you?
Thinking outside the box no matter what industry or field I've been in has always been the trait that has set me apart. That and a positive attitude has carried me a long way.
Your proudest moment?
Most recently I'd say it was my first solo show. There's something about putting something you created on display for everyone to see, and then to put a price tag on it and ask people to be moved enough to spend their hard earned money on it. It left me feeling exposed and vulnerable, but the response was phenomenal and left me blessed and ecstatic.
“I have lived with Type 1 diabetes for 29 years which has led me to work with young kids suffering from this debilitating disease. I hope to be a positive role model and that one day there will be a cure for me and for the millions of kids suffering from it.”
Looking ahead, what does five years from now look like for you? I want to have a more saturated presence in the Atlanta area art community. I'd like to be profiting from my real estate investments, high tech marketing consulting, and commercial modeling jobs and maybe actually have my book on relationships published.
What is your favorite charity?
“I am involved with Camp Kudzu. A non-profit organization dedicated to educating and supporting children with type 1 diabetes.”
What was your first job ever?
When I was 8 my brother and I would wash white walls on tires with Armor All for $2.00/car.
http://www.paperglassmedia.com/lynnemcdonald
Lynne McDonald is an award winning, juried artist. She grew up in California, but moved to Atlanta from Montreal, QC and started painting full-time in 2012. Since then, her skills have evolved and now you can find her work in galleries, stores, hotels, offices and private collections internationally. Her inspiration comes from nature and her travels. She considers herself curious and thinks of each painting is an experiment. “I prefer painting in abstracts, because I like the participation of the observer. It always amazes me what other people see in my work. I learn just as much about them as they do me.”
Lynne became a Type 1 Diabetic as a teenager and has been on insulin for 30 years now. The cruel irony is that she's developed Retinopathy that affects her vision. She describes it as having little blind spots that make it difficult to see an entire piece. She also has difficulty seeing in low lights so she requires flood lights in her studio and has problems seeing colors properly. Because of her struggles she mentors children with Type 1 Diabetes. "Being a role model for these kids inspires me to take good care of myself. They are watching me and my attitude shapes how they see themselves."
Lynne also works on commission. Please contact her about creating a piece for you.
678-910-1982