Recent works

Paintings

About / Artist Statement

Kody Donaldson (b. 2001 in Seattle, WA) currently lives and paints in Olympia, Washington. She studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and graduated in the spring of 2024 with a BFA in Painting.

I approach painting in a documentarian way, especially when it comes to colour. Studying how white houses are rarely “white” or how two minutely different shades of grey can be the difference between sky and sidewalk is important to me in order to justify how much time I put into my paintings. Hours go into choosing which colours to use and how to manipulate them. Materially, I’m attracted to the labor-intensive process of preparing a surface to be as smooth as possible. Scraping on thin layers of molding paste then sanding for hours, creating the perfect “window” through which to view my paintings.Depicting how my environment is rarely unimpeded by Washington's weather and inconsistent levels of daylight is important to me. I avoid painting midday scenes, instead opting to depict the way light skims the tops of trees and street lights battle for dominance as the sun sets. My paintings that are set in the early morning show how the fog obscures the tallest trees and distant sidewalks. My favorite tree to manipulate is the Douglas Fir because of how much character its branches already exhibit. They swoop down and then reach for the sky, letting its needles dangle.I feel compelled to paint my surroundings in a way that embodies their unique character: waterlogged branches, fading daylight, and weather-stained air viewed from either a bedroom window or a rare outdoor excursion. Years spent in the temperamental climate of Olympia, Washington have embedded within me a persistent need to document those characteristics and show them off to people who haven’t witnessed them. My work shows my dedication to that goal and urges viewers to join me in appreciating what could be taken for granted.

CV

Kody Donaldson

[email protected]  - kodydonaldson.com  -  ig:@kodonstuff

Education 
     2019-2024BFA Painting, Rhode Island School of Design
Solo Exhibitions 
     2025May-June Artist Spotlight, Olyphant Art Supply, Olympia, WA
Group Exhibitions 
     2024RISD Painting Senior Show, Woods-Gerry Gallery, Providence, RI
 Behold, Be Held, RISD Memorial Hall Gallery, Providence, RI
     2023In the Limelight, RISD Memorial Hall Gallery, Providence, RI
     2022Sophomore Painting Show, RISD Memorial Hall Gallery, Providence, RI
     2019Superintendent's High School Art Show, Washington Center, Olympia, WA
     2018Superintendent's High School Art Show, Washington Center, Olympia, WA
Awards 
     2024Florence Leif Award for Women awarded by the RISD Painting Faculty, Providence, RI
     2019-2024Honors Designation at Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI