Donald Fontenot

Artist + Donald Fontenot

How did my artist journey start? The first time I painted, I felt an amazing rush as the emotions and images were taking shape on the canvas. Over the years, I’ve realized it’s not always that easy – some days multiple paintings seem to pour out of me while other days I think my work feels like just scratch marks. I have come to appreciate the journey of creating art as a type of therapeutic exercise that can teach patience, bring great joy, and inspiration.

I have an ongoing internal creative dialogue with myself– thoughts and flashes of images and colors – all blending together and moving around. Of course, they are swayed by how I’m feeling at any given moment, which is why I view abstract paintings as a manifestation of emotions. I have always loved the freedom of creating and interpreting abstract art. The way abstract art captures different emotions and memories is so alluring and fascinating to me.

I have found gardening to be a great inspiration: all the colors of nature next to each other and so beautiful. The inspiration comes from the beauty of flowers, but also from the tranquility derived from working with the plants and earth. As I reflect on my paintings, I see a couple of series that have developed. A study on the cross-section of a forest, a fantastic blend of colors evoking a huge blend of multicolored flower petals, and an abstract landscape capturing my emotions in color.

Over the years, a quote from Saint Francis de Sales continues to resonate with me “Have patience with all things, but first of all with yourself”. I seem to tell myself this frequently and it has become my go-to advice on many occasions when friends seek help. It seems this patience has allowed my mind and soul to develop the thoughts and emotions that inspire me to create this work of art. My passion for creating abstract art compels me to paint every day. My greatest joy is completing a painting that reflects that passion and being able to share that passion with you.


MANDEVILLE 

Meet the Artists

Local art is the lifeblood of our culture and communities. We source work from hundreds of painters, muralists, sculptors, metal workers, printmakers, illustrators, photographers, and textile artists, every one of whom is part of your local community.

Le Bon Temp Roule
Nurhan Gokturk Illustration / Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Nurhan Gokturk
Colorful Louisiana Cotton on Paper II
Caroline Youngblood Painting
MONROE
Caroline Youngblood
Rain
Tony Nozero Painting
BYWATER
Tony Nozero
Masked Bricks
Queen Hope Parker Queen Hope Poetic Art
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Queen Hope Parker
Rhapsody 2
Sadako Lewis Painting
DIAMONDHEAD
Sadako Lewis
Clouds Uplifting
Daryl D. Johnson Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Daryl D. Johnson
Temperance (XIV)
Margaux Hymel Art by Gaux Gaux
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Margaux Hymel
Days Like This II
Cierra English Painting
BATON ROUGE
Cierra English
My people were fair and had sky in their hair
Johnny King Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Johnny King
Heron in the Mist Original Painting
Lorin Vieira Painting
BATON ROUGE
Lorin Vieira
'You Know What the Ocean Is?' Fine Art Print
Heather Bird Harris Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Heather Bird Harris
"Jacob's Ladder (Marie Laveau Visits Her Tomb)"
John Turner Painting
NEW ORLEANS
John Turner
Transfiguration in Blue
Kate R. Hanrahan Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Kate R. Hanrahan
TRANS/GAZA/SYSTEMIC/WOKE
David Lang Painting
NEW ORLEANS
David Lang
A New Idea
Carolyn Busenlener Painting
PEARLINGTON
Carolyn Busenlener
Angels of the savannah
Amzie Adams Painting
MARIGNY
Amzie Adams
Wild Ferns, No 1
Rebecca Birtel Madura Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Rebecca Birtel Madura
Plated Oyster
Sarah Nelson Sarah Nelson Fine Art
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Sarah Nelson
Orchestra
Tony Hollums Painting
MARIGNY
Tony Hollums
Off the porch
Patrick Henry Victory Arts
Painting
SLIDELL
Patrick Henry
Don't Lose Sight
Kris Muntan Painting
NORTHSHORE
Kris Muntan
Get the Shot! (Nutria)
Michael Slage Painting
HOUMA
Michael Slage
You Denied My Existence - James Baldwin
Jason Van Pelt Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Jason Van Pelt
La ville se reveille (The city awakens)
Darlene Langendonk Art Impressions
Painting
NORTH SHORE
Darlene Langendonk
Awaken I
Matt Litchliter Mixed Media / Painting
NORTHSHORE
Matt Litchliter
New Orleans Restaurant's
Connie Kittok Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Connie Kittok
Ceramic Vanity Tray
Emily Lovejoy Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Emily Lovejoy
"Trapped"
RANNIE HOWARD Painting
LOS ANGELES/KENNER
RANNIE HOWARD
Place in The Middle
Emily Pullin Painting
RUSTON
Emily Pullin
Portals to Anywhere
Katie Yaquinto Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Katie Yaquinto
Backboard for "NOLA has Wiiings"
BE3K . Painting
NEW ORLEANS
BE3K .
seen
Jessica Strahan JHand Paints
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Jessica Strahan
Wet Bread
Thomas Deaton Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Thomas Deaton
The Homecoming
Cheryl Anne Grace Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Cheryl Anne Grace
Soft Serve at the Billy Goat Hole
Saegan Swanson Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Saegan Swanson
Saint of Lost Causes
Sean Randall Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Sean Randall
Serenity Series. Lillies.
Anya Lincoln Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Anya Lincoln
Find Yourself There
Maggie Jones Boudreaux Painting
RUSTON
Maggie Jones Boudreaux
Bring Back Louisiana
Leah Morace Painting
ALEXANDRIA
Leah Morace
The Golden Boat
Lee Morais Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Lee Morais
The Neighborhood
Ella Albrecht Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Ella Albrecht
Festival des Acadiens
Devin De Wulf Folk / Outsider Art / Painting / Photography
NEW ORLEANS
Devin De Wulf
Ascending Trees
Louise Guidry Encaustic / Monotype / Painting / Printmaking
NEW ORLEANS
Louise Guidry
Indigo 6
Alanna Ali Painting
BATON ROUGE
Alanna Ali
Temperatures Rising #17
claire gowdy Painting
BATON ROUGE, LA
claire gowdy
Kermit Ruffins : BBQ swinger
Gabriel Flowers New Orleans Paint and Design
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Gabriel Flowers
persimmons on a blue tile
Jacques Soulas Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Jacques Soulas
Golden Hour
Anne Blenker Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Anne Blenker
La Mer
Charissa Owens Painting
ALEXANDRIA
Charissa Owens
Terrance Strikes a Pose on Lafitte Street
Drew Cooke Mixed Media / Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Drew Cooke
When the River Can't Wait to Reach the Ocean
Kat Ryalls Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Kat Ryalls
Nightwork
Spencer Schulz Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Spencer Schulz
Bubbles at Brunch - Fine Art PRINT
Kristy Oustalet Duke Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Kristy Oustalet Duke
Swamp Creatures
Morgan Allain Painting
LAKE CHARLES
Morgan Allain
Blue Roots 1
Emma Fick Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Emma Fick
Kindred Spirits
Ron Smith Painting
SHREVEPORT
Ron Smith
Infinite Sadness
Jeremy Paten Mixed Media / Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Jeremy Paten
"Snake Charmer"
Isabel Perez Gomez Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Isabel Perez Gomez
Bird Watching
Ember Soberman Painting / Mixed Media
NEW ORLEANS
Ember Soberman
I Wish I Knew
Catherine Walker Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Catherine Walker
Ego - Print
Shelby Little Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Shelby Little
Waiter/Waitress
Alexandra Kilburn Illustration / Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Alexandra Kilburn
“Release”
Max Bernardi Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Max Bernardi
A Minute To Himself
Emre Karaoglu Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Emre Karaoglu
I’ll Have Raspberries, Please.
Cathie Stuckey Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Cathie Stuckey
Flowers from my Daughter - Print
Nancy Rowe Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Nancy Rowe
Day Dreaming
Debbie Boyd Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Debbie Boyd
The Steppers (Step x Step)
Ceaux . Ceaux Artwork
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Ceaux .
I am an Island, custom framed
Josie Azuma Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Josie Azuma
Marsh Island
Jata Craighill Painting
GULF COAST
Jata Craighill
Magnolia Madame II
Rayne Bories Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Rayne Bories
Dragonfly Sky
Matty Whitcomb Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Matty Whitcomb
Banana flower 2
Katie Kut Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Katie Kut
Rhythm
Ben Hamburger Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Ben Hamburger
A Magical St. Charles Day
Camille Barnes Visionary Design LLC
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Camille Barnes
Reflections 3
Antonio Ferachi Painting
PLAQUEMINE
Antonio Ferachi
Bring Back Louisiana
Vergie Banks Painting
LAFAYETTE
Vergie Banks
Let’s Have Brunch When This is All Over
Nancy Lassen Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Nancy Lassen
Tylor and His Dog Lemon
Paige DeVries Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Paige DeVries
Harley Baby
Rise Delmar Ochsner Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Rise Delmar Ochsner
Meditation #6
Kristen Albrecht Mixed Media / Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Kristen Albrecht
Past Life
Jessie Chappuis Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Jessie Chappuis
RedBean the Crawfish for Bring Back Louisiana
Adam Sambola Painting
SLIDELL
Adam Sambola
Delight
Natalie Acquistapace Painting
FOLSOM
Natalie Acquistapace
"Birds of a Feather: Cockatoo"
Stephanie Reed Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Stephanie Reed
Wildlife
Mary Singleton Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Mary Singleton
Blown
Sean Clark Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Sean Clark
Red Cloud 12.01
George Dolgy Painting
NEW ORLEANS
George Dolgy
French Quarter Stroll
Lyla Clayre Illustration / Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Lyla Clayre
Otis
Lucille Anderson Lucille Blues
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Lucille Anderson
PIGGY BACK
Roz LeCompte Painting
BROUSSARD
Roz LeCompte
Serenity
Anne McLeod Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Anne McLeod
Dr. John
Toné Lowe Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Toné Lowe
Bayou Diminuendo
Emory Nolan Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Emory Nolan
Carnival Series II
Ayodele Owolabi Painting
JEFFERSON
Ayodele Owolabi
Untitled 002
Gabrielle Tolliver Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Gabrielle Tolliver
Song Trails
Nicole Ockmond Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Nicole Ockmond
Edison
Brent Houzenga Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Brent Houzenga
"Ancestral REcall" homage to Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah
George McClements Painting
NEW ORLEANS
George McClements
Bring Back Louisiana
Vitus Shell Mixed Media / Painting
MONROE
Vitus Shell
Gator Hunters
Cassidy Breaux Painting
Cassidy Breaux
Encounter
Malak Morgan Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Malak Morgan
A Snowbird's Winter
Michael Eble Painting
LAFAYETTE
Michael Eble
Nelumbo
Danielle Keys Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Danielle Keys
Bakery Village House Portrait
Hayley Roussel Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Hayley Roussel
ADORNED III
Lori Sperier Mixed Media / Painting
COVINGTON
Lori Sperier
Land Before Time II
Leroy Miranda Jr. Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Leroy Miranda Jr.
The Promise
Mary Scinto Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Mary Scinto
Ritual
Virginia Candler Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Virginia Candler
"Suyeni"
Brett Henderson Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Brett Henderson
May 2024 Garden Blooms
Stephen Rooney Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Stephen Rooney
Oak Tree (Red)
Connor McManus Mixed Media / Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Connor McManus
Ghost Ship
Charles Hoffacker Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Charles Hoffacker
Orgullo
MILAGROS Collective Painting
NEW ORLEANS
MILAGROS Collective
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