{"id":4374,"date":"2017-08-28T17:21:32","date_gmt":"2017-08-28T23:21:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.donaldneff.com\/blog\/?page_id=4374"},"modified":"2026-01-11T20:06:35","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T04:06:35","slug":"artist","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.donaldneff.com\/blog\/artist\/","title":{"rendered":"Artist"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Statement<\/a> | Biography<\/a> | Travels<\/a> | History<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Artist Statement<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lumen<\/span>*<\/span> Aqua<\/span> *<\/span> Terra<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I paint the places I love to be. I paint the freshness of eternal nature, icy lucid streams, thunderous waterfalls, and soaring granite crests over silent lakes. I paint the descriptions of John Muir, the echoes of Ansel Adams, the American West of Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Moran. I paint luminosity filtering through the landscape, reaching to the foundation
of a stream, bouncing off rocks, and illuminating the shadows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using oil and acrylic, painting realistically is merely my means to an end. I want the viewer to connect with the places I love to be. I hope the observer will want to walk right into my painting and maybe even drop a line in the water to catch a trout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My published works include both \u201cplein air\u201d and studio paintings, which helps me translate the dynamic experience of the moment and communicate in a more personal way of what I am trying to say..”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Light<\/span> *<\/span> Water<\/span> *<\/span> Earth<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Biography<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Donald Neff\u2019s art is a product of his love for nature and the outdoors. Working in both Oils and Acrylic Polymer, Neff\u2019s work reflects a colorful realism of the land he travels. His paintings are typically centered around a water theme, whether High Sierra scenes, seascapes, or the graceful countryside. Donald is completely self-instructed and his paintings convey a realistic perception of nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although drawing and art have been steady interests since he was a child, Donald’s concentration in painting surfaced after college graduation and his establishment in a successful computer science career. What began as a pastime pleasure quickly became a compulsion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donald is an Oregon native and spent childhood years in Pasadena, California and Eastern Texas. After moving to the San Francisco area in the late 70\u2019s, Donald founded and eventually sold a successful computer software company. Donald retired from his computer science career to devote full time to his art. He moved to Marina, CA to be closer to the varied and dynamic coast of California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donald’s work is shown in galleries, institutional, and private collections throughout the United States. He has had one man shows at such institutions as the Carnegie Museum in Oxnard<\/em><\/strong>, California, and Ambassador Gallery<\/em><\/strong> in Pasadena California. He has shown at the Salmungundi Club<\/em><\/strong> in New York, Yosemite Valley Visitors Center<\/em><\/strong>, and won first place in statewide exhibitions in California. His work has been a finalist in the prestigious Arts for the Parks<\/em><\/strong> \u201cMini-Fifty\u201d and the Top 200 competition in Jackson, Wyoming. He was a Faculty\/Demonstrator at the 2nd and 3rd Annual Plein Air Convention<\/em><\/strong>, and also published in the Dec\/Jan 2012 issue of Plein Air Magazine<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donald has two books published about his work, “Plein Tahoe”, and “The Creeks and Rivers of Silicon Valley”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donald has been featured in several television broadcasts, NBC Bay Area news,<\/strong> Silicon Valley Technology,<\/strong> Art, Green, Sustainability (2016) and Silicon Valley Business Report<\/strong>(1998) in which his art was the focal point. He is also featured in the book, ‘How did you paint That? 100 ways to paint Seascapes, Rivers, & Lakes.<\/em><\/strong>‘. Donald has also been listed in ”Who’s Who in America<\/em><\/strong>”, ”Who’s Who Worldwide<\/em><\/strong>”, and ‘Who”s Who in the West<\/em><\/strong>”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travels<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Donald has painted and traveled over many places in the world. Below shows the many places he has painted…<\/p>\n\n\n\n