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Donald MacdonaldGiving Butterflies - original still life surrealism painting - contemporary art2025
2025
$3,793.60
£2,800
€3,276.28
CA$5,225.93
A$5,852.72
CHF 3,053.85
MX$71,488.41
NOK 38,853.88
SEK 36,624.43
DKK 24,450.49
About the Item
This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online.
Donald Macdonald’s Giving Butterflies is a whimsical and thought-provoking exploration of lightness, movement, and transformation. The painting presents a stark, charcoal-grey background, against which an array of colorful butterflies in pink, blue, and orange take flight. Their crisp, paper-like forms appear both delicate and bold, casting subtle shadows that add depth and a sense of dynamism to the composition. Below, a toppled black mug spills these vibrant creatures into the air, suggesting a release—perhaps of ideas, dreams, or fleeting emotions. Paper cut outs stand on either side, one ushering the mug on the left and the second spectating to the right.
The painting balances realism with a surreal narrative, where the ordinary is imbued with poetic meaning. The carefully rendered light and shadow on the cup and butterflies create an illusion of three-dimensionality, drawing the viewer into this curious moment of suspended animation. At the edges of the scene, small, white paper figures stand as silent witnesses, their presence adding a layer of human connection and mystery to the unfolding event. Their stillness contrasts with the butterflies’ movement, creating a dynamic tension that sparks the imagination.
Macdonald’s composition is both playful and introspective, capturing the ephemeral beauty of transformation and possibility. Whether seen as a metaphor for creative inspiration or an allegory of freedom, Giving Butterflies resonates with a sense of wonder and poetic spontaneity. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online.
Artist bio:
Donald Macdonald (born 1976, Isle of Lewis, Scotland) is a highly regarded contemporary artist known for his exceptional skill and attention to detail. After a brief period in the Scottish Infantry, he moved to Aberdeen, where he earned a BA Hons degree in Fine Art. His artistic journey took him to Denmark and Glasgow, where he lived and painted for several years, before ultimately returning to his roots on the Isle of Lewis, where he continues to live and create today.
Donald’s work has earned him recognition in various international art circles, and his paintings are held in prestigious private collections across Denmark, Hong Kong, Israel, and the USA. His career highlights include being one of only three Scottish artists featured in the BP Portrait Prize Exhibition in 2009, as well as being the subject of an in-depth feature and interview in Artists and Illustrator Magazine. Donald was also selected as the Scottish representative for the Mead Johnson International Exhibition in Evansville, USA.
In addition to these milestones, Donald has been recognized with several distinguished awards, including the 2017 Public Choice Award at the Art Gemini Prize, the 2018 Columbia Threadneedle Prize, the 2019 Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize, and the 2019 Scottish Portrait Award. In 2024, he was awarded the Scottish Regional Prize at the Discerning Eye Exhibition.
Donald Macdonald’s work continues to captivate audiences worldwide, blending technical precision with an emotive depth that reflects his unique perspective on both the human condition and the environment around him.
Explore the extraordinary contemporary realism paintings by renowned artist Donald Macdonald, available for purchase exclusively at Signet Contemporary Art. These meticulously crafted still life works reflect Macdonald’s exceptional skill and unwavering dedication to capturing the world in breathtaking detail. Whether you’re looking to elevate your personal art collection or add a striking piece to your home, you can experience the beauty of these paintings from the comfort of your own space through our online gallery.
“I have always been fascinated by photorealism, even as a child I would sit for hours meticulously drawing images from encyclopaedias and copying my siblings’ school photographs, desperately trying to capture every detail to capture their likeness. It was not until studying painting at Gray’s School of Art that I really discovered expressive art and working loosely from memory, the contrast between these two very different methods of working immediately appealed and I have been studying and trying to push its boundaries ever since. I create three-dimensional scenes using sketches and folded paper that I have previously drawn from memory and place them in compositions and scenarios which are then painted. I like to use this method to convey feelings, emotions, all the while recreating and copying life’s events in some way..”- Donald Macdonald
Awards:
2017 Public Choice Award winner at the Art Gemini Prize
2018 Columbia Threadneedle Prize
2019 The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize
2019 The Scottish Portrait Award
2024 Discerning Eye Exhibition, Scottish regional Prize Winner Award\
Selected Exhibitions:
2009 BP Portrait Award Exhibition.
2013 exhibited a commissioned painting in the Imperial War Museum in Manchester.
2013, 7th Figurativas painting and sculpture exhibition, held in the European Museum of Modern Art, Barcelona.
2019 Royal Scottish Academy open exhibition
2019 The Westmorland Landscape Prize Exhibition
2020 Royal Scottish Academy
2024 Royal Scottish Academy – RSA Maud Gemmell Hutchison Bequest and the Tatha Gallery Award
- Creator:Donald Macdonald
- Creation Year:2025
- Dimensions:Height: 23.63 in (60 cm)Width: 35.44 in (90 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU468316493302
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