Abstract
An interesting addition to the exhibit hall at last summer's A.F.A. convention in San Diego was the artwork of Donna Schulenburg. Ms. Schulenburg displayed a wide range of original pencil drawings which portrayed everything from hookbills to hornbills, Gang gangs to Gouldians. The popularity of her work can be attested to by the fact that she sold all but one drawing in three days, many purchased before she set up her display.
Donna began drawing as a young child, attended an classes at various intervals as she grew up, and took an an minor at Cal State University at Long Beach in 1971. "But I don't feel I became an artist until I resumed drawing in 1975 after not touching a pen or pencil for five years. I was so tired of the required school projects which limited exploring the media I preferred; meaning, I resented producing only what my teachers wanted."
Donna started teaching English, journalism, and reading in 1972. She continues to teach these high school subjects at Alta Vista High School, a continuation school in Vista, California. She devotes nine months of the year to her vocation,
and does virtually all her drawing during the weeks between the end of the school year and the A.F.A. convention. ''Each year I promise myself I will draw consistently during the school year so I won't be awfully rushed in the summer. Up until this year I have managed to escape this obligation, but I am now committed to the commissions and also produce a larger quantity of work for the Washington, D.C. convention."
Her interest in drawing birds began when she met and married Wayne Schulenburg who works for the San Diego Zoo and who has raised birds in his private aviaries since the age of six. On Christmas Day, 1977, she presented him with a drawing of his pet emu, Alex, and from there on he encouraged her to continue developing her skills in avain illustration. "People tell me I always seem to capture an animal's personality as well as depict the subject accurately. The first skill comes to me automatically; if I try to analyze that facet of my artistic process, everything falls apart. I develop an 'artist's block.' The latter skill of accuracy results from careful observation and con-
structive criticism from Wayne. I have occasionally wanted to throw something at him when, after eight to ten hours of concentrated work, he'll come home and tell me the dimensions of a bird are wrong or its coloration is too vivid. However, I have never regretted making the changes he has suggested despite the extra time or trouble."
Donna works at home in San Diego within view of the lovely gardens and attractive aviaries with which she and her husband have surrounded themselves. This environment lends authenticity and inspiration· to her drawings. Photographs and slides form the basis of her artwork, but she always changes sizes of animals and the backgrounds, and often combines elements from more than one picture. She hopes to soon buy a 35mm SLR camera in order to obtain photographs of birds which are rarely seen in magazines, but can be found in the private collections of the Schulenburgs friends. She wants to expand her repertoire of drawings in order to provide a greater selection to her growing clientele and to experience the satisfaction of showing more birds as beautiful works of art.•