Discover the contemporary work of Donna GOURDOL

Donna Kassel-Gourdol was born and raised in Chicago’s historic “Old Town Triangle” District, home to the city’s artistic counterculture as well as such landmarks as The Second City, The Earl of Old Town, The Old Town School of Folk Music and the Old Town Art Fair, one of the country’s oldest. Born into a family of artists and jazz musicians (her grandfather being legendary Chicago Jazz originator, Jimmy McPartland), she quickly developed a deep love and understanding of art and music. Encouraged to follow her own creative path, she first took classes at the famed Art Institute of Chicago. After graduating from high school, she traveled extensively around the United States before settling into the lively art scene of Venice, California.Her passion for, and devotion to, art then led her to extensive travels throughout Europe and finally to an expatriates life in Paris, France, where she studied figurative sculpting under Cyril Heck, sculpting and sketching life drawings from live models. This increased her passion and technique for portraying the human form. She has also more recently studied painting with Albert Farvacques in Montfort L’Amaury and André Boubounelle in Louviciennes.Donna’s work can be found in collections throughout the United States and Europe.Un mot de l’artisteIl y a réflexion dans ma composition, mais m’approche de la couleur reste intuitive.Le premier jet est le plus important. La créativité et la passion. Après il faut un peu peau finet, mais ne pas aller trop loin a risque de perdre la spontanéité.Je fais surgir la forme par ce que l’entoure.Dans mes toiles, il fait voir des détails que je n’ai pas peints.A word from the artistThere is reflection in my composition but my approach to color is intuitive. My first impulse is the most important. The creativity and the passion. After, one needs to refine but not to go to far at the risk of losing all spontaneity.