About

After winning numerous awards in high school, which granted her full acceptance to study at The School of Visual Arts, Dawn knew what her future would be.  Her years at SVA gave her a BFA in Illustration.  Dawn went on to obtain her master's in early childhood education at Lehman College, Bronx, NY, and was immediately hired to teach art in Scarsdale, NY. 

After starting her family, she and her husband moved to NJ to raise their two children. Soon after, Dawn had her own studio, where she taught painting and freelanced her talents. Her art has been showcased in galleries throughout the tristate area and sold worldwide. McDonnell is a full-time Artist and focuses on showing her art at festivals, in galleries, and online.

 Dawn has been a professional artist for over 20 years and has never looked back. Her most recent series, Food, inspired her to write her first book, "I Love You Like FOOD". The book and her paintings combine her love for food with her affection for the people in her life. Love is a feast. A banquet of flavors, textures, and shared moments. It’s not just about the food; it’s about nourishing the soul.

McDonnell's art is where reality meets creativity. Her hand-sculpted food Art does just that. It looks so real, it has to be mounted on a frame, so you don’t eat it!