BIO

Jim Donahue, born in Chicago USA, lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.


Mr Donahue is an artist who has worked in sculpture, film and more recently as a painter.

He attended the University of Brighton, Brighton, England (1973-74) where he majored in sculpture and received his BFA from Kansas City Art Institute in 1975.  Upon graduation he traveled to Mexico for 3 months to help local artists build an art foundry in Cuernavaca.

Mr Donahue was an active participant in the developing art and music communities of the mid to late 1970’s in San Francisco Bay Area.

After a solo exhibition at the storied Dana Reich Gallery, San Francisco (1981), he re-located to New York City  and set up a studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in 1986.  He has permanent public sculptures in both the Netherlands and in NYC.  

Jim studied scenic design at Parsons School of Design (1994-95) and joined United Scenic Artists local 829 in 1996, working as an Art Director as well as a Scenic Painter, contributing his talents on many notable projects.  These include but are not limited to; The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), Warrior (2011) and Succession (2018- 2019).  He has been recognized for excellence in this capacity, having been nominated for an Emmy for best Art Direction in the film Taking Chance (2009).  He retired from film work in 2019 and has since been concentrating  his creative talents as a painter. 


 Exhibitions

2018

Sideshow Gallery, The Greatest Show on Earth, Brooklyn, NY

2017

Talking Pictures Gallery, 1st Invitational, Brooklyn, NY

Sideshow Gallery, Thru the Rabbit Hole, Brooklyn, NY

 Centotto Gallery, ‘NOMANColorATURE’ Brooklyn, NY

Sideshow Gallery, Circle the Wagons, Brooklyn NY

2015

Centotto Gallery, ‘Thrice Legendary Forever Thens’

Brooklyn,NY

2014

Full House, Painters in conversation MSP & NYC, Saint Paul, Mn.

2006

Vision Festival, Synagogue for the arts, NY, NY

1994

The Police Building Gallery Space, Out of Line, NY, NY

1991

Focus Holland International, Utrecht, The Netherlands

1992

55 Ferris street, curated by Frederieke Taylor, Brooklyn, NY

1993

Socrates Sculpture Park, 50/NY/93, Queens, NY

Jessica Berwind Gallery, Drawings from 55 Ferris Street, Philadelphia, PA

Wynn Kramarsky Gallery, Drawings from 55 Ferris Street, NY, NY

Tribeca 148 Gallery, Specific Objects, Ny, NY

1989

Lafayette College, Williams Art Center, Made in New York, Easton, Pa.

1988

Kenmare Square Installation Site, LMCC Sponsored NY, NY

1983

Image / Abstract, 38 Crosby St. NY, NY

1981

Dana Reich Gallery, San Francisco, Ca.

1981 Solo Show

Dana Reich Gallery, San Francisco, Ca


Related work and awards

Artists Space / Individual artist grant, 1985

Emmy Nominee Best Art Direction, Taking Chance, HBO films, 2009

Filmography: IMDB as James Donahue III

https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0231950/?ref_=m_ttfcd_cr1


Thomas Albright, San Francisco Chronical, Feb.1981 James Donahue at Dana Riech Gallery "Perversly Elegant Constructions"