September 2008. Article in The Fresno Bee by Felicia Matlosz

"Alchemy" at Gallery 25 is an art exhibit that spotlights work by 29 members, many of whom are well known in the Fresno-area arts community.

 

Donnalee Dunne, whose oil painting "Apocalypse" is in the show, curated the exhibition. "To me, it's a milestone," says Dunne, who teaches graphic design and computer art at California State University, Fresno. "It's cohesive. It has depth. It has meaning. It has context. ... With the high caliber of artists in this group, we all knew we would come up with something elegant, deep and beautiful."

Dunne's "Apocalypse" is a four-panel piece that harkens to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse but focuses only on the horses. Each animal, in closeup, looks possessed or strikes an intimidating pose as bright blood reds and orange hues vibrate through each panel. One horse has a great horn thrusting from his forehead. Another wears a vikinglike headpiece while his chest cavity is exposed. The piece reflects Dunne's many interests, including history and the work of other artists, such as Francisco Goya's gory "Saturn Devouring His Son."

The catalog is a rare element for a local exhibit. But Dunne and others felt strongly that the show should be permanently documented. The catalog is available for $18.50 at BlueHummingbirdPress.com

 

In December, Felicia Matlosz writes:
I also dropped in at Ashtree Studios, where the work of seven women artists -- including co-owner Aileen Imperatrice -- are on exhibit. The others are Sandy Schulte-Day, Donnalee Dunne, Anne Fraker, Jamie Meadows, Christina Motta and Pat Chimenti.

Imperatrice says she invited artists who she knew and had recently come to know. And, it just so happens, each artist brought pieces that could be part of a series, which gives the show a more cohesive feel. Imperatrice, for instance, has three paintings of chairs, which she has become known. Each reflects an emotional experience.

Dunne, who produced dramatic expressionistic paintings of apocalyptic horses at a recent show in Fresno, in this installation returns to nature: These are still life paintings of fruit. But, what enhances these images is her use of stripped bed linens glued to the canvas. By painting on this material, the fruits' texture and appeal come through more vividly.