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Hello Everyone.

My name is Donna and I am an artist, designer, project manager and strategist.

The standard stuff that you need to know about an artist (CV)

View my artwork here. ‍ ‍

View my resume here.

 

ARTIST BIO

For more than 20 years, Donna Jackson has used her background in design, marketing, communications, and project management to support libraries, nonprofits, cultural organizations, artists, and communities. Her library career has included work with Detroit Public Library, Houston Public Library, Plymouth District Library, and, currently, Kalamazoo Public Library, where she serves as Head of Marketing and Communications. Her previous roles have included graphic and web management, branding, marketing, and design.

Donna graduated from Western Michigan University with a degree in University Studies, with minors in arts and engineering, and attended the College for Creative Studies as a graphic communications major. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Library and Information Science at Wayne State University.

She is the founder of DMJStudio, a creative studio devoted to developing art projects, exhibitions, and cultural experiences that close cultural gaps, strengthen communities, and make art more accessible. DMJStudio is also home to Donna’s personal visual and digital artwork, with much of her work exploring the experiences of women, people of color, urban communities, and global citizenship.

Since 2025, Donna has also served as Gallery Manager at the Scarab Club in Detroit, where she manages exhibitions and works with artists, jurors, and community partners. Her work in galleries, libraries, and cultural organizations reflects her broader interest in how institutions can create meaningful connections between people, information, art, and community.

Through DMJStudio and her professional work, Donna has provided branding, design, communications, and creative services to organizations including United Way, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Focus: HOPE, Neighborhood Service Organization, the City of Houston, and Detroit Public Schools.

Her work continues to bring together libraries, art, communication, and community, with a focus on developing projects and experiences that are accessible, thoughtful, and rooted in the communities they serve.

Specialties: Marketing and communications, branding and identity, graphic design, exhibition development, curation, project management, fine art, and public art.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Most artists began the journey of creating to find out more about themselves or the world around them. I’m no different. My bodies of work are the results of what I’ve learned about womanhood and what I want to share about my hometown.

COLORFUL WOMEN: A series of illustrations, writings, and paintings of women in abstract form. Through color, shape, and the use of the human female figure, this series’ objective is to open viewers’ eyes to another type of feminine beauty that is beyond the curves, clothes, makeup and teased hair. These images convey a beauty that comes from the colorful nuisances of women’s personalities, emotions, and experiences. The paintings in this series are acrylic on canvas or wooden panels: the illustrations and drawings and mixed media and range from 4″ x 6″ to 3″ x 3″ inches. I am currently developing an illustrated series of 1000 3×3 cards, depicting women portraits, bodies, and words. The small and detailed mixed media cards create an intimate relationship between the artist and the viewer and display women in the only way they should be experienced; up close and personal. For more details, go to Colorful Women page or Colorful Women portrait page.

SHE SAID NO: This series of black and white acrylic paintings size 16 x 20 is a collection of narratives about the word NO. How many times as a woman, you hear the word NO as you make a life for yourself and how many times a woman must say NO to grow, empower, and protect herself in society. Such a small word with so much power. The installation includes 48 panels, also include a small book of stories entitled “She Said No.” For more details, go to She Said No page. 

CURRICULUM VITAE

ART EXHIBITS

  • 2024 Color of Sci-Fi, Star Trek Edition 

  • 2022 Hey Sexy, Hatch Gallery, Hamtramck MI

  • 2022 Seeing White, INAI Gallery, Adrian MI

  • 2022 In Her Hands, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, MI

  • 2022 Where We At, Irwin Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2022 Black Women Rock, Andy Art Center, Detroit, MI

  • 2021 Detroit Womenhouse, Detroit, MI

  • 2021 Souls of Black Folk, Scarab Club, Detroit, MI

  • 2020 Poster on Politics, Detroit, Charles H. Wright Museum, Detroit, MI

  • 2020 Poster on Politics, Black Box Gallery, Dearborn, MI

  • 2020 Seeing White, Detroit, MI

  • 2019 Seeing White, Ypsilanti, MI

  • 2019 Community Collective, Marygrove Conservancy Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2018 Posters On Politics, Black Box Gallery,  Dearborn, MI

  • 2018 She Said No, Art Prize, Grand Rapids, MI

  • 2018 Door of Opportunity, Detroit Public School, Bates Academy, Detroit, MI

  • 2018 Door of Opportunity, Public art Installation, Detroit Neighborhood Art Project, Detroit, MI

  • 2017 Door of Opportunity, Detroit Public Library, Detroit, MI

  • 2017 Posters on Politics, The Baltimore Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2017 In Pursuit of Hope, Focus: HOPE, Detroit, MI

  • 2017 Gilda’s Girls, The Baltimore Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2017 Door of Opportunity, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI

  • 2016 Door of Opportunity, The Baltimore Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2016 Wall of 100 Makers, Civilla, Detroit, MI

  • 2016 Door of Opportunity, Daly in the Alley, Detroit, MI

  • 2016 Door of Opportunity, Belle Isle Art Show, Detroit, MI

  • 2016 Door of Opportunity, Palmer Park Art Show, Detroit, MI

  • 2016 Indie Art Fair Mural Exhibition, Down River Council of the Arts, Wyandotte, MI

  • 2015 Door of Opportunity, Northend Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2015 Door of Opportunity, 4731 Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2015 Door of Opportunity, One Mile Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2015 Door of Opportunity, Detroit Public Library, Detroit, MI

  • 2015 Door of Opportunity, The Baltimore Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2015 Door of Opportunity, The Virgil Carr Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2015 Door of Opportunity, Downriver Council of the Arts, Wyandotte, MI

  • 2012 Detroit Got Talent, Heidelberg Project, Detroit, MI

CURATORIAL PROJECTS

  • 2026 Gilda Snowden Memorial Exhibition

  • 2026 NCECA Exhibition

  • 2026 Threads of Identity: Textiles as Stories

  • 2026 55th Annual Photography Exhibition

  • 2026 Detroit Month of Design – Detroit the Design Futuer

  • 2026 Emotions Unbound: A Tapestry of Identity and Expression

  • 2026 Grand Gesture

  • 2026 113th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition

  • 2025 Gilda Snowden Memorial Exhibition, Detroit, MI - Scarab Club

  • 2025 Mesopotamia to Detroit, Detroit, MI - Scarab Club

  • 2025 Something Hot, Detroit, MI - Scarab Club

  • 2025 54th Annual Photography Exhibition, Detroit, MI - Scarab Club

  • 2025 Posters! an Exhibition, Detroit, MI - Scarab Club

  • 2025 SPE (Society for Photography Education) Exhibition, Detroit, MI - Scarab Club

  • 2025 112th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition, Detroit, MI - Scarab Club

  • 2025 Grand Gesture, Detroit, MI

  • 2024 Color of Sci-Fi, Star Trek Edition

  • 2024 Tolerance, Detroit, MI

  • 2024 Decolonization of Feminism: BIPOC Lens, Chicago, IL

  • 2023 Color of Sci-Fi - Octavia, Detroit, MI

  • 2023 Color of Sci-Fi - REAL!?, Detroit, MI

  • 2022 We Are the North End, Eastern Market After Dark, Detroit, MI

  • 2022 FIBER: Art, Design and Business, Chroma Detroit, Detroit, MI

  • 2022 YOU Belong, Chroma Detroit, Detroit, MI

  • 2021 The Skin I’m In, South Haven Art Center, South Haven

  • 2021 Griot, Norwest Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2021 Souls of Black Folk, Scarab Club, Detroit, MI

  • 2020 Poster on Politics, Charles H. Wright Museum, Detroit, MI

  • 2020 Poster on Politics, Black Box Gallery, Dearborn, MI

  • 2020 Women Show, Andy Art Center, Detroit, MI

  • 2020 Posters on Politics, Detroit MI

  • 2019 Focus On Detroit, Photography Festival, Detroit, MI

  • 2019 Community Collective, Marygrove Conservancy Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2018 Fenkell: Unknown Treasures, Andy Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2018 Posters On Politics, The Baltimore Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2018 Door of Opportunity, Public art Installation, Detroit Neighborhood Art Project, Detroit, MI

  • 2018 Inner Fragments: Iranian Women Art Exhibition, Norwest Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2018 Survive In America, The Baltimore Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2017 Door of Opportunity, Detroit Public Library, Detroit, MI

  • 2017 Posters on Politics, the Baltimore Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2017 Gilda’s Girls, The Baltimore Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2017 Door of Opportunity, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI

  • 2016 Door of Opportunity, The Baltimore Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2016 Wall of 100 Makers, Civilla Detroit, Detroit, MI

  • 2016 Door of Opportunity, Daly in the Alley, Detroit, MI

  • 2016 Door of Opportunity, Belle Isle Art Show, Detroit, MI

  • 2016 Door of Opportunity, Palmer Park Art Show, Detroit, MI

  • 2015 Door of Opportunity, Northend Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2015 Door of Opportunity, 4731 Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2015 Door of Opportunity, One Mile Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2015 Door of Opportunity, Detroit Public Library, Detroit, MI

  • 2015 Door of Opportunity, The Baltimore Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2015 Door of Opportunity, The Virgil Carr Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • 2015 Door of Opportunity, Downriver Council of the Arts, Wyandotte, MI

BOOKS PUBLISHED

  • 2022 – The World After Poster Book

  • 2017 – Posters On Politics

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY