“As an artist I am constantly gathering views of the landscape, flashes of moments and images that I see. Coastlines, mountain ranges and headlands have a particular attraction – the mass of the land against the vastness of the sea.

I don’t attempt to paint a clear representation of the waterways, coastlines and landscapes but take from everywhere. So each painting comes from my visual memory. Often viewers can identify them with a particular place.” – Donna Ravenscroft

Donna Ravenscroft’s paintings begin with abstracted backgrounds and gradually identifiable images begin to appear through linework and colour. They might include huge vessels, sometimes appearing through the mist, ship’s hulls, jetties, bollards or headlands – anything that can be associated with the water and its exciting beauty. Evidence of underpainting often remains in the building up of layers, resulting in touches of contrasting colour and texture.

Donna has exhibited in group and solo exhibitions in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Donna has been a finalist in the North Sydney Art Prize and Warringah Art Prize for many years. In 2003 she was awarded first prize at the Palm Beach Art Show.

Places to Swim

‘Places to Swim’ focusses on many of the ocean and harbour pools found in Sydney.

“From Palm Beach to Cronulla there are about 35 ocean pools ranging from simple rings of rocks to large rectangular pools…Sydney and New South Wales has the largest number of ocean pools in Australia, mainly in response to its wild coastline…exposed to the full force of the ocean” – Sue Daniel for Curious Sydney, June 2018

Donna has painted 24 of these iconic pools. Often the shape of the pool is made to fit into the existing landscape; some built on rocky ledges, others surrounded by rocks continually battered by the sea. These works are more figurative than previous works, depicting particular features of the pool, the surrounding landscape, and the sea.

Selected Exhibitions

2022 Solo Exhibition Places to Swim at Art2Muse Gallery, Woollahra, Sydney

2020 Solo Exhibition Landscapes at Art2Muse Gallery, Double Bay, Sydney

2018 Solo Exhibition at Art Gallery on Darling, Balmain, Sydney

2017 Solo Exhibition at Art2Muse Gallery, Double Bay, Sydney

2015 Solo Exhibition at Art2Muse Gallery, Double Bay, Sydney

2014 On the waterfront: the art of North Sydney’s foreshores North Sydney Heritage Centre

2013 Seascapes Breathing Colours, Balmain

2012 Art2Muse Gallery, Sydney – solo exhibition
Paint and Wire at Breathing Colours, Balmain
Art Melbourne with Art2Muse Gallery

2011 Art2Muse Gallery, Sydney – solo exhibition

2010 ARTZPACE 2010, Avalon,
Riverview Art Show
Warringah Art Prize

2009 Art2Muse Gallery, Double Bay – solo exhibition
Xzibit Gallery, McMahons Point – solo exhibition
St Thomas Show, Sydney
Tudor House Show, Moss Vale, NSW
Art2Muse Gallery, Double Bay, Sydney – solo exhibition

2008 Art Sydney Gallery Oscar
North Sydney Art Prize
Vision 5, Queenwood
Art Melbourne Gallery Oscar
Paint Wire Wood, Tom Dunne Gallery Darlinghurst

2007 Vision 4, Queenwood
Northbridge Art Prize
North Sydney Art Prize
St Joseph’s College Art & Craft Show
Gallery Oscar Mixed Exhibition, Turramurra

2006 Gallery Oscar Exhibition, Pymble
St Thomas’ Art Show, Willoughby
Global Gallery, Paddington Stock Room Exhibition
Northbridge Art Prize
St Joseph’s College Art & Craft Show
North Sydney Art Prize
Vision Art Show, Queenwood
Riverview Art & Craft Exhibition

2005 Global Gallery, Paddington
Art Sydney ’05
Warringah Art Show
St Joseph’s College Art & Craft Show
Fusion Group Exhibition Washhouse Gallery, Rozelle
North Sydney Art Prize Exhibition
Vision Art Show, Queenwood
Riverview Art & Craft Exhibition
Land Lines Two Artists Sauc Gallery, Surry Hills

2004 St Joseph’s College Art & Craft Exhibition
North Sydney Art Prize
Affordable Art Show (represented by Sauc Gallery)
Vision Art Show, Queenwood
Riverview Art & Craft Exhibition
Edge 4, Mary Place Gallery, Paddington

2003 Eight Edge Exhibit, Xzibit Gallery, McMahon’s Point
Sauc Gallery, Surry Hills, Group Exhibition
St Thomas’ Art Show, Willoughby
Palm Beach SLSC Art Show & Competition
St Joseph’s College Art & Craft Show

2002 Global Gallery, Paddington
Edge 11, Mary Place Gallery, Paddington

Collections

2021 Jewel Hotel, The Langham, Gold Coast
Stanton Library Permanent Collection, North Sydney Council
Corporate collections, Sydney
Private collections in Sydney, Melbourne, North Queensland and Perth

Awards

2003 Palm Beach Art Show – First Prize

Commissions considered