SHORELINE by Donna Solovei

Donna Solovei is currently a full time artist and mother of two girls, living in Cape Town.

Donna studied at the London Camberwell College of Art and completed her degree in BA (Hons) Illustration. Her scope of art includes drawing, painting and printmaking, with many previous successful exhibitions in London, Germany, Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Donnas’ work has evolved into a dynamic discovery of the world around her. She has produced art pieces for wallpaper, stationary, clothing and fabric.

She enjoys places of intersection, the overlapping, complementation and juxtaposition of elements. In particular the way the ocean meets the beach, or the space between boulders. Moments where edges meet and transform, and colors are enhanced or hidden. This allows her work to envelop a sense of the unknown and wander.

Her work is deliberate and considered with a wide spectrum of concerns regarding our environment. She establishes a connection between objects by using intricate lines and fragments that create a sense of wonder. The result is a production of organic forms and abstract marks depicting a particular moment.

Donna has used many layers of almost transparent ink, and nuances of tone to create a suggestion and reveal a slightness of the delicate and fragile nature of our world. Mixing and making colours played a large role in the production of the work. This contributes to the subtle changes in each piece as they employ intuition and intention.

Donna’s art is a dialogue between tone and texture; her observations of small detail are enlarged with varying intensity to establish a unique relationship with the viewer.

MONOTYPES – ONE OF KIND ARTWORKS

These artworks have been produced using a printmaking technique called monotype. Each piece is unique and an original. It cannot be repeated. They vary in mark making, but are all made up with several layers of ink.

By using this technique the artist creates a texture that cannot be achieved in any other way. Each colour has been hand made by the artist with careful consideration and precision. Ink is applied in various ways to a plastic plate, and once the artist is satisfied, paper is placed over the plate and the ink transfers onto the paper as they merge by being rolled through a printing press. As the paper is pulled off the plate there is an exciting element of surprise that is the result of the artist’s instinct and spontaneity.

In this collection other elements have been added to various pieces to create texture and form such as cotton thread, powder, acetate and even seaweed.