Discover the Whimsical World of John Donato Art.

---

Original acrylic painting on canvas — 30" x 36"

$6,500
by John Donato

When I painted Flukezilla, I wasn’t trying to capture a fish — I was chasing a moment. That razor-thin slice of time when effort hangs in the balance and you don’t yet know if you’re brilliant or foolish for trying.

This painting lives in that tension.

Like drifting over Delmarva waters with a line down deep, every brushstroke felt like a gamble. The colors push hard. The forms strain and flex. Nothing is calm. Nothing is guaranteed. The flounder isn’t just large — it’s mythic, exaggerated by pressure, doubt, and desire. It’s the embodiment of that internal voice asking, Is this worth it? Will this payoff?

And still, I press forward.

As a painter — much like a fisherman — I’m driven by the pursuit, not the promise. There’s no certainty that the line will hold or the painting will land. Yet the need to chase the trophy, to honor the moment, burns hotter than the fear of failure. Flukezilla is that commitment made visible — bold, playful, and charged with motion, yet rooted in discipline and respect for the craft.

This painting was sparked by a real story — one that’s been told and retold along Delmarva docks and tackle shops for years. Over a decade ago, my friend Finn battled and landed the winning flounder in one of the region’s most celebrated tournaments. It wasn’t just the size of the fish — it was the fight. The bowed rod. The vibrating reel. The long, quiet moments where doubt creeps in and you wonder if you should let go or lean in harder.

That’s the moment I painted.

In Flukezilla, I wanted to honor that shared experience — when skill meets uncertainty, when preparation meets chaos, and when the outcome remains unknown until the very end. Whether I’m fishing or painting, I live for that charged pause where failure is close enough to touch… and success demands that I go for it anyway.

That’s where the story is. That’s where the art lives.

Lewes Summer Reading — Limited Edition Giclée Reproduction!

Lewes Summer Reading, a brand-new archival-quality giclée reproduction of the 24-foot community mural that hangs in the Teen Reading Room at the Lewes Public Library.

This vibrant  48” wide × 17” tall canvas features 44 classic books, brought to life with whimsical characters and Lewes landmarks—all drawn directly from the original mural created with the community.

Details:

• Archival giclée on canvas

• 48” × 17”

• 1.5-inch gallery-wrapped frame

• $750

• Limited supply for the holidays

• Now taking orders

A joyful piece for book lovers, Lewes locals, and anyone who carries stories close to the heart. 

"Restraint"

I struggled painting this work.

It was genuinely difficult for me to embellish the surfboard—especially the sun graphic. I loved the board in its pure form. It had balance, intention, and beauty. To then overwhelm it with garish stickers, doodles, and visual noise went against my instincts as a painter.

The challenge was intentional.

I had to design the graphics to feel undisciplined and overstimulated, while still respecting the meaning behind the symbols and the cultural weight of what they reference. That tension mattered to me. I didn’t want to mock the messages themselves—many of them are rooted in real traditions, real history, real values. The problem isn’t the content. It’s the delivery. It’s what happens when symbolism is used without listening, when decoration replaces understanding.

Every added sticker felt like a small internal negotiation. How far is too far? How do I communicate excess without becoming careless? How do I let the board shout without allowing it to disrespect the culture it borrows from?

That discomfort became part of the painting’s truth.

Chief Little Owl’s restraint mirrors my own process. He does not rush to condemn the board, just as I didn’t rush to overwhelm it. He stands quietly, willing to engage, willing to experience the ride before offering critique. That posture—measured, curious, compassionate—is what ultimately guided me through the piece.

Restraint lives in that uneasy space between intention and impact. It asks hard questions gently. And it reminds me, as an artist, that sometimes the most honest work comes from leaning into discomfort rather than decorating around it.

— John Donato

$6,500

Acrylic on Canvas

30" x 36"

Original Acrylic on Canvas — 18" x 24"

$6,500
by John Donato

Whimsical, symbolic, and quietly revealing, “The Protégé” portrays a monocled, beret-topped painter-cat seated inside his human’s mug as his student — a small mouse — climbs a ladder to paint a bold, Picasso-style portrait of him on its surface. The cat’s conflicted gaze captures a familiar inner tension: pride versus admiration, ego versus humility, mentor versus mirror.

The monocle becomes the biased lens through which he views both himself and his pupil, while the bare eye reflects truth he resists. Is he unsettled by the distorted likeness, by the fact that a mouse holds the brush, or by the realization that his protégé has become a master in his own right?

With vivid color, expressive strokes, and symbolic objects throughout, Donato highlights the emotional complexity of mentorship, identity, and the challenge of celebrating another’s excellence.

A one-of-a-kind narrative painting, “The Protégé” invites collectors to reflect on their own lens — and enjoy a work that entertains with whimsy yet lingers with meaning.