Artist Dana Donaty’s Iconic Camera Shop Mural In Delray Beach Being Restored For New Location

South Florida contemporary artist Dana Donaty‘s Observations mural shows a man in the Everglades with binoculars and a camera surrounded by native birds, flora and fauna. It has become a landmark in Delray Beach since 2007. The magnificent panoramic scene along the outside of the Delray Camera Shop is currently being restored by the artist, and will soon be installed on the Camera Shop’s new location.

When the artist was commissioned to create the mural 14 years ago, she was inspired by a visit to the Author R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in the Everglades. Dana designed a long, panoramic scene with vibrant colors and brilliant detail on 10‘ x 4′ Dibond panels with acrylic paint. The Observations mural includes possums hanging from tree branches, long-legged herons walking in the sawgrass, bright pink flamingos bursting into the air. It was front-page news in 2007 in the Palm Beach Post, and it was the inaugural mural of the Pineapple Grove Artscape Program. Donaty was given an award for Excellence in Artistic Building Design by the Delray Appearance Board in 2008.

Fast forward to 2020 and the Camera Shop was sold. The murals were removed and placed into storage, they were in good shape considering they had been in the Florida sun for 14 years. “The DDA and the CRA got involved and proposed that I restore the murals so they could be installed on the Camera Shop’s new location,” Donaty says in the Arts Warehouse studio she has been working out of. “I’m glad that the county has recognized this as something worth saving and preserving, it’s a piece of art history here.”

As part of a four month Extended Residency Exchange Program at the Arts Warehouse in Delray Beach, Donaty is restoring the Observations mural panels on the second floor, studio #14. The process involves deep cleaning the panels with soft soap and sponges, and repainting the panels. Donaty sits up on a scaffold focusing on all the details of the mural, while her Havanese rescue dog Cash trots around the studio floor. “I am adding in some new details here also,” she points out. “A few birds, a fish in the Egret’s mouth, just enough to make it a bit fresher. This is harder than I thought it might be, going back into a style I did so many years ago. It’s a lot of color saturation too as it has faded from the sun.”

Dana has been given studio space to work from, and it’s open to the public to view at The Arts Warehouse along with community programming, “In-Studio Interactions” Drop-in Kids Sketching, open studio hours, First Friday Art Walk events and “Workshops” Exploring the Artist Process in August. Arts Warehouse is located at 313 NE 3rd Street in Delray Beach, Florida 33444.

About the Artist:

Dana Donaty is a South Florida-based internationally collected visual artist, widely recognized for her intense color palette and designs. Donaty has completed many award winning public art projects, and is featured in countless national and international publications. She has garnered multiple awards within the design industry, and is sought after to create unique commissions for high profile residential and commercial projects. For more information about this fascinating artist visit www.danadonatyfineart.com