From September 4, 2008 issue Self-taught artist's work at many venues Award-winning painter prefers using pastels and oils as favorite medium Spotlight photos by Fred D. Cavinder Donna Shortt works on a scene near Bargersville in oil in the room she uses as a studio in her southside home. In the background are ribbons from exhibitions. By Fred D. Cavinder, Spotlight correspondent You can go to the north side this week to see the work of a rising southside artist. Donna Shortt is one of four artists showing at the Hoosier Salon Broad Ripple Gallery in an exhibit called "Not so Plein Jane." The "plein" refers to plein-air, or paintings done outside, which suits Shortt, 55 years old, just fine. Landscapes are one of her favorite subjects~ the other is still life. Shortt, who lives near German Park, has achieved some success as an artist in only about 10 years. A period of serious painting began after the youngest of her five children was in school during the day. She is primarily a self-taught artist. "I started slowly because I still had children in school," recalls Shortt. All five children, Rachel, the youngest, whose schooling freed Shortt for time to paint, Leigh, Dan, Amanda and Ryan, still live near the home where Shortt and her husband Tony have lived eight years. Since she got a house with a room that can be used as a studio she has turned out a sizeable number of works and has exhibited extensively. Shortt formerly was trying to paint in a crowded family room. She also will be part of a plein air exhibit at the Central Library in Indianapolis in September and will be part of the Hoosier Salon exhibit at the Indiana State Museum, which runs until Sept. 14. She recently had an exhibit at New Castle and was one of 13 artists exhibiting pastels at the Richmond Art Museum. One of her paintings was recently purchased by the Indiana State Museum for its permanent collection. She exhibited six works at the Indiana State Fair -- she won best of show at the fair in 2007. "I didn't have a studio before, and I think the work was suffering," she said. "And as soon as we moved in here, I got a studio and the work just took off." Still, she is frustrated because the necessary non-art work sometimes keeps her away from the easel. She has to handle bookkeeping, marketing, purchasing, framing, hauling art back and forth to exhibits, maintaining a web site and produce a newsletter. Her dream is to be able to hire someone to do that work. "It would be neat to have to do that," she said. "I need that next great painting. I just have to find the time." Shortt grew up in Beech Grove, where she got a hint from her third-grade teacher that she had artistic talent. She was assigned to decorate the bulletin board. At Beech Grove High School she got more encouragement. "I don't know. I just like to do it," she said. "I always have been interested in art." Shortt favors pastels, but is increasing her use of oils. Pastels are almost pure pigment and, as Shortt points out, remain fresh always, not darkening as oils sometimes do. "You can layer them. It's not going to change. You know it's going to be that way. I even like the scratching sound it makes when you apply it to sanded paper," she said. Although she prefers landscapes and still life, she recently worked at painting live models at Herron on Thursdays. "I had never drawn from life before," she said. Shortt went there because her daughter Rachel had been asked to pose and Mom stayed to paint. "Sometimes I'll go there and it's a disaster," she said. "Next time I go it feels pretty good." Rachel, said her mother, is inclined more to art than the other children, some of whom have mechanical talent. "I didn't have time for art myself, let alone making them have time for art," Shortt recalls. These days, when not hauling exhibition paintings to Broad Ripple and the Central Library, Shortt can move (time permitting) to a room where the walls are bedecked with ribbons from art shows and shelves of CDs. Shortt likes to listen to music while she paints. With oils, her problem is that so many things occupy her time that the pigments dry out before she can return to the canvas. There is no such problem with pastels, which remain her favorites and often are displayed on her web site, www. dshortt.com. She has sold a few paintings through the web site to persons who bought other works at exhibitions. "At least it's getting better. It's not like I'm stagnant," she said. "I'm not at the point where I can just hire people yet (to handle the business end). It would be neat to have to do that." The Spotlight 4217 S. Meridian, Indianapolis, IN 46217 Office: 317-444-4554 • Fax: 317-788-4570 E-mail: spotlightads@indyweb.net

From September 4, 2008 issue • Beech Grove welcomes new teachers to high school • Self-taught artist's work at many venues Award-winning painter prefers using pastels and oils as favorite medium By Fred D. Caviinder, Spotlight correspondent • Chili cook-off raises funds for burn camp • Beech Grove News • SPOTLIGHT BRIEFS     • • Arts & Entertainment Page   • Looking Back By Robin Graves, Spotlight staff • Reality As I See It By Denise Summers, Spotlight staff • Sports Page