About Mikel Donahue
Mikel Donahue, b. 1956, Tulsa, OK (United States)
Biography
A multiple award winning member of the Cowboy Artists of America, artist Mikel Donahue is best known for his impeccable depictions of cowboy life. His drawings and paintings portray ranchers and their livestock during the day-to-day ritual of sun-up to sun-down work on the ranch. What may seem as mundane chores are captured and translated through his artistic style into moments of meaning and reflection.
Donahue, who was born and raised in Tulsa, was taught about life on the ranch by his paternal grandfather who raised cattle in northcentral Oklahoma. It was Donahue’s maternal grandfather who exposed him to western art at an early age with memorable trips to Tulsa’s Gilcrease Museum and what was then the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City. Fascinated both by life on the ranch and the iconic art by the likes of Charlie Russell and Frederic Remington, as an adult, Donahue has become a perfect amalgam of his influences with a life breeding racing quarter horses with his wife Christie on their place outside Broken Arrow and an award-winning career in the arts. In May of 2017, Mikel was inducted in as a member of the Will Rogers High School Hall of Fame, an honor that includes musicians, Leon Russell, David Gates, Elvin Bishop, designers Paul Davis, Joe Johnston, among other national and world renowned notables.
Mikel is a graduate of the University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK and a 33 year veteran of the advertising/graphic design business. His work with local, regional and national accounts earned him numerous ADDY, Graphix, Bronze Quill and other design awards.
Selected Exhibitions
• Cowboy Artists of America Annual Exhibition & Sale, Ft.Worth, TX
• Cowboy Artists of America Annual Miniature Exhibition & Sale, Museum of the West, Scottsdale, AZ
• Briscoe Western Art Museum, Night of Artists, San Antonio, TX
• Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, Quest for the West Art Show, Indianapolis, IN
• The Society of Animal Artists Annual Exhibition & Sale
• National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Prix De West Invitational, Oklahoma City, OK
• National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Small Works-Great Wonders Exhibition & Sale, Oklahoma City, OK
• Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, OK
• C.M. Russell Museum, Great Falls, MT
• Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Buffalo Bill Art Show, Cody, WY
• Phippen Museum, Miniature Masterpiece Show, Prescott, AZ
• Oklahoma Capitol Building, Governor’s Gallery – One Man Exhibition, Oklahoma City, OK
Awards
• Cowboy Artists of America: Ray Swanson Memorial Award, Gold Medal – Mixed Media, Silver Medal – Water Solubles 2022
• Cowboy Artists of America: Anne Marion Best of Show, Gold Medals (2) – Water Solubles & Mixed Media 2021
• Cowboy Artists of America: Gold Medal – Drawing, Gold Medal – Mixed Media, Silver Medal-Water Solubles – 2019
• The Society of Animal Artists select traveling exhibition: Art and the Animal – 2019/2020
• Cowboy Artists of America: Silver Medal – Other Media – 2018
• Cowboy Artists of America: Silver Medal – Water Solubles – 2017
• Inducted as a Member of the Will Rogers High School Hall of Fame – 2017
• Academy of Western Artists: Will Rogers Award -Artist of the Year – 2011
• Buffalo Bill Historical Center: Premier Platinum Award and William E. Weiss Purchase Award – 2010
• Buffalo Bill Historical Center: Artists’ Choice Award – 2009
Affiliations
• Cowboy Artists of America, Member
• The Society of Animal Artists (SAA), Signature Member