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
2024
Conversations, Helm Contemporary, NY, NY
Salon des Refusé, BWAC, Brooklyn, NY
Among Friends, Metaphor Projects, Brooklyn, NY
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
Chain Reaction 5, San Francisco Arts Commision Gallery, San Francisco, Ca.
Kenmare Square Installation Site, Sponsored by LMCC 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://www.imdb.com/name/nm0231950/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cr
Thomas Albright, San Francisco Chronical, Feb.1981 James Donahue at Dana Riech Gallery "Perversly Elegant Constructions"