Donna Miliotis

Contact: donnamiliotisarts@outlook.com

I consider myself a “re-emerging artist.”  After graduating with degrees in art and psychology in the 1980s, I worked as a caricature artist and exhibited watercolor paintings and sculptural work in juried group and solo art shows in the Twin Cities.  I continued to take art classes before attending graduate school to become a child psychologist.  My work with children often included art, guided by two beliefs: Art is a powerful form of self-expression and the process of making art is therapeutic.

Upon retirement in 2020, I moved to Winona, Minnesota to be immersed in nature and a community that appreciates the arts.  I am thrilled to have more time to paint, weave and make pots.

My paintings tend to be colorful and of varied subject matter.  I find that some subjects call for vigorous brushstrokes while others require a more fluid or lyrical approach.  For me, creating art brings magical, semi-conscious moments where there is no sense of time and the artwork takes on its own life.  I try to listen to what the artwork wants.  Sometimes it says, “I want a shape here, a color there” or, “Leave me alone.”  I strive for movement and playfulness in my work and to follow the wisdom of Henry Miller: “Paint as you like and die happy.”