Artist, Donna Bisschop, Brings Colour and Joy to Local Lore

by Shannon Roszell

Speaking with artist, Donna Bisschop, over the phone feels like a cozy meander through the woods. Multi-talented Donna moved to Fenelon eight years ago on Hallowe’en. She is a visual artist first, working mainly in acrylics both large scale and small, but is also a passionate vocalist and drummer with her band, Dig the Moon. 

Living alone through the pandemic, Donna remarked “Thank God I have my art these days.” For her audience, thank God there was a pandemic so we now have her art. Donna is perhaps best known locally for her sweeping mural work for the Fenelon Curling Club.

Donna continued her mural work and the Kinmount Fair commissioned Donna to paint three panels in celebration of their 150th anniversary. Over a three-year period, she painted a panel every year, each representing a 50-year span of the fair’s history. I was fascinated by her process. 

The first panel, created in 2018, is from 1870-1920. Donna talks about how it’s all about agriculture, “people gathered to exchange information, seeds, all manner of communications of how they were proceeding about living in the area because this was new.” 

The second panel depicting 1920-1970 was “really interesting to do because it covered two world wars, the big Kinmount fire and the flood.” Donna spent a lot of time gathering info about those years from the area. “It has tents for flood relief and fire relief. Again about people getting together to communicate and commiserate.” Donna enjoyed documenting the changing styles in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, from skirt length to cars, especially the different hoods. 

The final panel documenting 1970-2020 was created in 2020 and finished just as the lockdowns began. On the bottom right-hand side there is someone wearing a mask because “I had to put it in there.” This piece will no doubt be enjoyed by the community for years to come.

Donna is one of the artists selected for the city’s Traffic Control Box project, “It’s a Wrap.” Nine traffic control boxes throughout the city will be painted and the artworks will also be featured in the upcoming municipal calendar. Donn’s piece, “Some Wild Things” was first created on a huge piece of mahogany. I’m delighted by Donna’s vibrant colours and all the wildlife poking through. Let’s all hope Donna’s piece is chosen for Fenelon!

Currently, Donna Bisschop’s painting, “Before The Storm” is in the Kawartha Art Gallery as part of their show, “Radical Landscapes.” She is available for commissions both large and small and her band, Dig the Moon, plays the Fenelon Falls Legion on November 4th.

http://donnabisschop.wordpress.com

Shannon Roszell is a local singer-songwriter. She recently released five singles off her debut album, Within the Shimmering Darkness, which is slated for release in 2023. shannonroszell.com