An original abstract acrylic painting by Lynne McDonald.

About Artist

Lynne McDonald, 49, wears many hats as artist, writer, editor, and business consultant. The Type 1 diabetic is determined to never let her illness prevent her from living life on her own terms.

Lynne McDonald is an award-winning, juried artist. She grew up in California, but moved to Atlanta from Montreal, QC and started painting full-time in 2012. Since then, her skills have evolved and now you can find her work in galleries, stores, hotels, offices, and private collections internationally. Her inspiration comes from nature and her travels. She considers herself curious and thinks of each painting is an experiment. "I prefer painting in abstracts because I like the participation of the observer. It always amazes me what other people see in my work. I learn just as much about them as they do me."

Lynne became a Type 1 Diabetic as a teenager and has been on insulin for 30 years now. The cruel irony is that she's developed Retinopathy that affects her vision. She describes it as having little blind spots that make it difficult to see an entire piece. She also has difficulty seeing in low lights so she requires floodlights in her studio and has problems seeing colors properly. Because of her struggles she mentors children with Type 1 Diabetes. "Being a role model for these kids inspires me to take good care of myself. They are watching me and my attitude shapes how they see themselves."

Until she began painting full time, her professional life had always involved working with or representing a diverse group of creative and dynamic personalities. "I didn't feel confident enough to be the creative 'talent', but I understood them." This constant stimulus and an innate calling to express herself creatively helped her build a career writing freelance and painting random pieces during various crossroads of her Life.