Donna Michelle Griffith’s prints are inspired by the landscape that surrounds the River which runs through Goole. The artwork draws from the colours found on the inland shipping containers, shapes are inspired by the natural reflections of the water. Northern Exposure reflects Goole’s landscape as a large inland port, and the water’s edge and shores.
Donna says that, “in the midst of all that muted landscape are a kaleidoscope of colours. These humble shipping containers are little clusters of colours, drawing me in. Highlighting these unassuming vessels, with pops of colours in contrast to the hard rusted metal exteriors, adds a playfulness to the virtual landscape. The life of a shipping container. The world mapped out. Its journey so far. Its origins. Its mystery. The weathered and worn containers standing forever in situ. Overlooked. Unappreciated. This printer is flattered by the relief. The security of knowing where you are at all times using What3Words.”
Donna Michelle Griffith has been drawing and painting since childhood, directly influenced by the smell of her uncle’s oil paints/paintings. It was at school when she was first introduced to etching in 1985 and she’s been hooked on printmaking ever since.
Donna has been mentoring and running themed, creative, multi disciplined workshops and exhibitions in and around Greater Manchester to increase awareness and accessibility in the arts for nearly twenty years, since graduating from MMU School of Art with a BA(hons) in Fine Art in 2004.
Donna also volunteers in and around the community for The Big Life Group facilitating the art group at the Zion Community Resource Centre and in the Baby Atelier and Education Centre at The Whitworth Art Gallery (UoM ), where she is also a voluntary member of the Collections Care and Documenting team for the upcoming Whitworth Wallpaper Exhibition: Before the Walls Came Down.
Donna is one of the studio managers and Directors at OT creative SPACE C I C.
Donna Michelle Griffith
Northern Exposure
A My Three Words Gallery Opening Commission
Donna is one of the artists commissioned to make a piece of work based on the My Three Words brief. These examples demonstrate what type of artworks can be exhibited. They encourage anyone who wants to be creative, to make a piece of art based on a location in Goole, and submit it to the online Gallery.
Donna has grasped the idea that Goole is an international port and used ordinary shipping containers that can be seen everywhere in the world, as her subject matter. She has used the colours and positions as they are stacked in Goole docks and converted them into a beautiful set of prints that have evolved from the concept.
People from anywhere in the world are free to contribute to the My Three Words Gallery as well as the local residents of Goole. Donna’s screen prints are a great example that show how a work can be produced without being able to visit the location.
David Wheeler
Artistic Director, IOU