Inside the Studio: Donna Gibb
For Australian artist Donna Gibb, a painting is more than something to admire on a wall. It can capture a celebration, preserve a memory, tell a forgotten story, or bring people together through the simple joy of creating.
Known for her live event paintings, Gibb has spent more than two decades transforming weddings, sporting events, corporate celebrations, and charity galas into original works of art. What began as a spontaneous evening of painting with friends has grown into an international practice that combines artistic expression, audience participation, and storytelling.
Her work extends far beyond live painting. From historical subjects and studio commissions to plein-air landscapes and art education, Gibb approaches each project with curiosity and a willingness to explore new directions. She also estimates that her live paintings have helped raise approximately $1 million for charitable organizations over the past 25 years.
In this week's Inside the Studio, Donna Gibb speaks with Art Dealer Street about the unexpected beginnings of her career as a live painter, the importance of creating meaningful experiences, her passion for teaching, and her journey from Australia to exhibiting at Clio Art Fair in New York City.
Read on to learn more in an exclusive interview with Donna Gibb:
You are known for painting live at events, often completing a work in just a few hours. How did your journey as a live event artist begin, and what first drew you to creating artwork in front of an audience?
In 2000, I was working in television during the Olympics and worked for 30 days straight. I hadn't been very social, so we invited a group of friends over for drinks after I put the news to air one night.
I then got out a blank canvas and invited them to participate in creating an artwork with me. It was lots of fun, and in the following weeks, I attended friends' birthdays, where I invited guests to add to the artwork and sign a message on the back.
Fast forward a few months, and it was at a solo exhibition that I met an entertainment manager who arranged larger corporate, sporting, and gala events for me to paint at and, in some cases, auction the artwork.
The first major milestone was an Australian rugby artwork auctioned for $16,000 in 2001.
I estimate that over the past 25 years, I have raised approximately $1 million for charitable organizations.
Your work captures weddings, galas, corporate events, anniversaries, public celebrations, and major cultural moments. How do you prepare for a live painting when the atmosphere, people, and energy of the event are constantly changing?
Most of the paintings I create live at events are carefully planned artworks.
I undertake extensive research and design each piece into a very bespoke sketch. I have plenty of reference images from my research, and I create a basic design.
Often, I don't see the venue in person until I arrive, as my work takes me to other countries and around Australia.
As soon as I arrive at the event location, I visit the venue and take more images so I can incorporate them into my design if necessary.
However, I also incorporate special moments I witness at the event or elements people suggest while I am painting live.
Many of your live paintings become lifelong memories for the people and communities involved. How do you decide which details, symbols, or moments should be included in a commissioned event painting?
This comes back to my preparation for each event.
I interview the client to get as much information about their organization as possible so I can create their message on canvas. This works really well at corporate workshops, conferences, trade shows, and similar events.
If it is a birthday or wedding, I like to make it as personal as possible, capturing their "story" on canvas.
I say to my clients that they can't give me too much information. I then create a design with them during the meeting and finesse it for final approval before the event.
If I am painting at a sporting event, like baseball, football, or motor racing, I paint in the background at the event and then choose a special moment to immortalize on the canvas.
If I am painting at a sporting gala event, my design incorporates an iconic moment from a game, which becomes a piece of valuable sporting memorabilia.
Often, sports legends are attending, and I get them to add to my artwork and sign the front.
I paint live on stage, and it is a great way for the VIPs at events to participate in something meaningful.
You often invite guests to add a brushstroke under your guidance, making the artwork an interactive experience. What does this shared participation add to the final painting and to the meaning of the event itself?
In a word, "Joy."
I still get goosebumps when I describe the experience to prospective clients.
I have had the privilege of painting at so many events. Each one is unique, and I enjoy sharing the joy of creating something very special as a memento from the event.
People who participate always have a smile on their face and a sense of wonder that often takes them back to their childhood.
I have had some who hesitate to start with but end up painting for much longer than expected on the artwork.
The phrase I hear all the time is, "This is such a good idea!"
We also take candid photographs of each person who adds to the artwork and provide them to the client.
The end result is an artwork that captures the atmosphere of the occasion as well as a visual representation of it.
I have been told by clients, including those who have returned for repeat business, that their friends and clients enjoy pointing out the "bit" they added to the canvas.
So the effect is long-lasting, leaving an indelible impression on everyone who takes part.
Your paintings have helped raise significant funds for charitable organizations through live auctions. How does it feel to know that your artwork can contribute directly to causes and communities?
Only recently have I acknowledged that I have been able to use my artistic skills to help other causes and communities.
I just love teaching the joy of being an artist and sharing my love of creating with people.
I'm constantly thinking about the next artwork, so I don't have a lot of time to reflect.
It is an honor and a privilege to be able to contribute.
Your practice moves between live event painting, studio commissions, plein-air work, art prizes, teaching, and storytelling through canvas. How do these different areas of your practice influence one another?
I have been teaching classes in my studio for about 33 years, and I encourage each student to paint what inspires them and in whatever style appeals to them.
Most people have a natural painting style, and I like to bring out that individuality in my students.
Because I have had to instruct thousands of people in many different styles and encourage their ideas for artwork, I have learned so much from them.
This has given me the ability to diversify my own art style and therefore adapt my style to suit clients' tastes.
Through this, I have expanded myself as an artist and challenged myself in many ways.
I thrive in this environment, and although I do have my own "art style" of painting, I love breaking out of what people expect me to paint every now and then.
I enjoy painting more contemporary and abstract pieces instead of the expected impressionist or realist artwork people are used to seeing from me.
I see inspiration everywhere, every day, and it can be quite overwhelming.
I have so many ideas, and my greatest fear is running out of time to create everything that is in my head!
Works such as your Gallipoli Art Prize entry on the AHS Centaur show your interest in history, memory, and honoring important stories. What draws you to historical subjects, and how do you approach transforming them into paintings?
I do have a great interest in history and where we have come from.
When I visit places or hear interesting stories, sometimes they make it into a painting.
I was quite astonished by the story of the AHS Centaur, a hospital ship with a big red cross on its side that was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine not far off the coastline of Brisbane in Australia, where I live.
The fact that the passengers could see the Moreton Island Lighthouse on the evening the incident occurred also intrigued me, as I have holidayed on Moreton Island many times and visited the lighthouse.
What was more incredible is that not many people in Brisbane know that the Japanese were so close to our shores and that this maritime wartime disaster happened.
So I felt very compelled to capture this story on canvas and was so proud that it was selected for the Gallipoli Art Prize in Sydney.
It is now hanging on the walls of a Navy Museum.
You participated in Clio Art Fair alongside independent artists from different parts of the world. What was that experience like for you, and how did it feel to present your work within the Clio Art Fair setting?
I like to take advantage of every opportunity and will work night and day to achieve my goal.
I was thrilled to be selected to exhibit in New York City at Clio Art Fair.
It took a lot of hard work to get there from Australia. Our dollar does not fare well against the US dollar, so it was a massive expense and a gamble.
I had exhibitions to sell artwork in Australia to raise the funds to be able to go.
It was so worth it, though.
As an artist, it is a great prestige to say you have been part of a professional art show in Chelsea, NYC.
The opportunity to learn from Alessandro and his team and to meet fellow artists working in varying mediums and styles was such a highlight of the fair.
Although the biggest highlight for me was selling an artwork at the fair and receiving a glowing email from the buyer the next day about how much they loved their artwork.
Pinch-me moments in NYC continued with a chance meeting with a gallerist who now has exclusive representation of my artworks in New York, and consequential sales of works.
We love NYC and the friendliness and encouragement of people we met in the streets and at the fair.
We hope to return soon.
For Donna Gibb, painting is not simply about creating an image. It is about capturing experiences, encouraging participation, and turning fleeting moments into something people can treasure long after an event has ended.
Her journey from an informal gathering with friends to live painting on international stages demonstrates how a spontaneous creative idea can grow into a remarkable artistic practice.
Whether she is inviting a guest to add their first brushstroke, helping raise funds for charity, sharing the joy of painting with her students, or bringing an important historical story to life, Gibb approaches her work with enthusiasm and a genuine love of creating.
Her experience at Clio Art Fair also reflects her determination to pursue opportunities beyond familiar surroundings, even when the journey involves uncertainty and considerable effort.
Through it all, one idea remains at the heart of her practice: art becomes even more meaningful when it connects people, preserves their stories, and invites them to become part of the creative experience.
You can learn more about Donna Gibb and her work via these links: Website: Donna Gibb Instagram: @donnagibbart
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