Donna Backues

Donna Backues was born on Guam, grew up in England and in the USA. She has BA in Studio Art and Graphic Design from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and an MFA from The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.   In 1989, Donna moved to Indonesia and made it her home for 18 years raising a family, teaching in a community art program and working in a grass roots development organization.  Her interest in learning the art of batik led to designing batik textiles and helping start a handicraft non-profit supporting local batik artisans in West Java.  After returning to the USA with her husband and two children in 2007, Donna finished her MFA and currently works as a teaching artist in schools and afterschool programs.  She has been awarded numerous residencies through the Philadelphia Art Museum’s Delphi Art Futures program and Art Partners program.  In 2013 Donna won first prize in the American Batik Design Competition awarding her with a two week batik study tour through Java and Bali sponsored by the Indonesian Embassy in Washington DC.  Along with teaching, she exhibits frequently, accepts public and private commissions and continues to work in her studio as a painter, mix-media artist, designer and illustrator.