My name is Donna McConkey,

I was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa. After raising our family and having always been in love with nature’s beauty, I realized I would love to paint. I started to take lessons in oils at DMACC, then studied under local and national instructors such as Arleta Pech, Nita Engle, Tom Lynch and many others. The body of my work has been watercolors, building up many glazes for rich transparent colors. I love to explore nature and her patterns of light and I find watercolor the perfect medium to show the luminous patterns and shadows in nature.

I am a signature member of the Transparent Watercolor Society of America and the Iowa Watercolor Society , a member of the Iowa Artists and the Associated Artists of Central Iowa. I have exhibited in all of these societies and the Iowa Exhibited, the Heritage Gallery, the Iowa State Fair, St Johns Lutheran Church, the Des Moines Women’s Club and others. I have won numerous awards in juried shows and most recently first place at the Iowa Artist regional show 2007 , first place in the Iowa Artist State show 2005, first place in watercolor at the 2005 Iowa State Fair and third place overall and second place in watercolor 2004.

For me, I love trying to convey the beauty of things around me. To quote Georgia O’Keefe, “When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it’s your world for the moment. I want to give that world to someone else”.