Woman’s painting becomes poster for 14th garlic festival in Delray Beach

MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR: Dana Donaty, 46 Special to Neighborhood Post

As a kid, Dana Donaty was always drawing. Which, for the most part, was a good thing. Except for all those cute little pigs she sketched on the bathroom stalls - in indelible ink - at her high school in Bridgewater, N.J.“I probably drew about 100 of them. I was so damn proud of them that I signed my name on every one. Sure enough they caught on to it,” reflects the Boynton Beach resident. “As punishment I had to spend all summer painting all 64 stalls.”These days, the 46-year-old is a renowned artist specializing in murals, faux finishes, decorative arts and graphic design - and she embeds her name repetitively on her work. “These days not only do people ask me to draw on the walls but I get paid for it,“ she quips (her murals include ones at Boynton beach Fire station No. 5 and Head Start in West Palm Beach).A recent painting, “Dana’s Freshly Made Garlic Crab Cakes”, graces the poster for the 14th Annual Garlic Fest Delray Beach scheduled for February. (Her artwork was also chosen for the festival’s 2010 poster).The inspiration? One of the festival’s most popular dishes, garlic crab cakes - and Donaty’s love of all things garlic.Donaty, who moved to Florida about six years ago after spending 12 years in England, works in many mediums and relishes trying out new ideas. “I work with oils, gold leaf, cement, iron coatings, patinas, Venetian plaster, photography … just about anything I can get my hands on,” she explains. “I even breathe new life into my shoes from time to time, maybe cut off parts of a shoe and marry it with another shoe, add some gold or variegated metal leaf or add some unworn jewelry to them.”“Whether I use a paintbrush or a trowel, my work is an extension of me,” says the Moore College of Art and Design graduate. “My work is … conceptual so above all it must have conviction. The client must feel it was exactly how they imagined it would be, only better,” she says.Q&AWhat is the best book you’ve read?“Atlas Shrugged” (by Ayn Rand). It explains everything.Who do you admire?My father (Jerry) because he was a self-made man who successfully carved out his own path in life. He instilled his values, imparted his wisdom and was quite the character.What is your most unusual possession?A human skull my Dad got for me when I was in college and homework assignments for life drawing classes involved drawings of the skull and skeleton. He was a doctor and I’m am certain it was purchased from the skull and skeleton store … (all legal like). I still have the skull but not the skeleton … only so much room in the closet.What’s on your would-love-to-do list?Travel to the International Space Station.Who would you like to be stuck in an elevator with?My grandfather who passed away before was born. I would like to meet the man who raised my father.

By Linda Haase

Lannis Waters

Thursday, Nov. 8, 2012