Donna Greenstein was born in Guelph, Ontario while her father was attending the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, just after WWII. When she was ten, she showed a Jersey calf at the local 4-H club shows and grew up helping out at her dad’s Etobicoke Animal Hospital. She also found time to ride and draw horses. She received a bachelor of arts degree at York University, north of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Education at the University of Toronto. Her brother, Dean Middleton, is also a veterinarian.
In 1974, she and her husband moved to their 50 acre farm just north of Toronto. They bought their first five bred cows that year and have run an organic cow-calf operation ever since. Donkeys, llamas and peafowl also inhabit the farm. Donna and her husband promptly fell in love with the farming world and went on to establish an organic garden and planting hundreds of trees, including a fruit orchard. The Ontario Environmental Farm Plan was completed in 2007 and 2008.
Donna paints regularly with Kaleidoscope, a group of five friends. She has exhibited with the King Studio Tour and King Museum, Daniel’s Restaurant in Nobleton, The Aird Gallery and Canada Blooms in addition to a solo show at Skylight Gallery in Aurora. Donna has been the Treasurer of Botanical Artists of Canada for four years and is now the Treasurer of Schomberg Horticultural Society.
Donna has taken numerous courses to learn how to use watercolors to achieve highly realistic, lifelike results. "When I started painting, I didn’t realize that watercolor is known as the most difficult artistic medium, " states Donna. "I just knew that I found watercolor the most attractive." She started painting precise botanicals then progressed to bird subjects eventually deciding to paint what she knew best: farm life. "I love painting our own animals plus those of farming friends. For the most part I prefer animal “portraits”, close up head shots."
Donna goes on to say, "When people see my paintings I’d like them to appreciate the work that farmers do to put nutritious food on their tables.Yay for farmers! I am thrilled to be included with such great rural artists in a website where 'art and agriculture meet'."
Find Donna’s farm animal watercolor giclees in our Watercolor section under painting.
Awards and Honors
Best in show, Ontario Horticultural Association Annual General Meeting, 2008
Best in show, Schomberg Horticultural Fair, Art Division, 2008
Honorable Mention, Botanical Artists of Canada Todmorden show, 2007
Honorable Mention, Lifethread’s Art Show at the Oakville Town Hall, 2009
Top ten, The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Annual Fine Art Showcase, 2009
Featured in Tapestry Magazine, “Donna Greenstein: No Bird of a Feather” by Wendy Soloduik, Spring 2009 issue.
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