Donna Clouston - Curriculum Vitae

1969 - I graduated from High School.

I attended high school in Altus and Norman Oklahoma. Art programs available at that time, helped me to find my way to studying art full time.

1972 - I graduated from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design.

My special interest was goldsmithing. I returned home to Newfoundland and worked as a goldsmith, while teaching evening classes. - 1972-1975

1974 - I created banners for traveling theatre show.

I worked with Peter Thomas and Ray Mackie to make large cotton batik banners for a traveling theater show. This was the first time I was able to create images of Newfoundland's landscape. I had discovered a new passion!

1976-1978 I worked as director of the Newfoundland and
Labrador Craft Development Association.

During this time I continued to be interested in the Newfoundland Landscape. In 1978 I resigned from the Craft Council to become self employed creating silk batik banners.

1979 - I made silk banners for the Murray Premises, St. John's, Newfoundland.

This is a historic shopping mall on the St. John’s water-front. Fourteen banners were commissioned to portray the area at the time of the building's construction in the 1800's.

1982 - One of my silk banners was selected by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to be given as a wedding gift to Prince Charles and Lady Diana.

This was a major turning point in my life and career. It was a great honor to have my work chosen. And Mommy quit asking me, “When I was going to get a real job!”

1981 - I started using silkscreen to make my banners.

Until this time I used batik to bring my images to life. A friend introduced me to silkscreen as a way to make my cloth calendars. I started printing dyes on to silk to make limited edition, silkscreen on to silk

1984 - "Seeing It Our Way" on Donna Clouston - a 30 minute national program on CBC.

This program introduced me and my work to Canada. I received a phenomenal number of phone calls and letters from people interested in both me and my work.

1989 - In the Pink was the first edition that sold out in a year.

It remains my most valuable print. Each sold for $450 and today are worth $2,000 - $3000.

1991 - “Juniper’s Visit” St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre

A huge quilted hanging (9'x 12') made up of my silkscreen prints, was made for the lobby of the Centre. My cousin Shelley Clouston did the actual sewing and worked with me to create the finished piece.

1994 - I switched from printing on to silk to printing on board.

My last print on silk was "Home to Roost" in 1993. In it, I created fun shadows in the grass and other fine details. I had too many layers of dye paste and much of my drawing washed away, when the layers of dye did not fix to the silk properly. It was at that point I realized the time had come to switch to printing on "paper". Susan Wakefield helped get me on the right track. To this day, I continue to print on museum board using Lascaux watercolour inks.

2002 - “View from the Narrows “ The Johnson GEO Centre

I painted three watercolours of the cliffs on the East side of the Narrows on Signal Hill, St. John’s. These were photographed and scanned into a computer. I cleaned the digital file, which was printed onto an adhesive translucent film. This film was then attached to three light boxes which hang in the lobby of the GEO Centre.