Donna’s Rhino
Posted by McAWilliams in Animal, photography 
15 comments 
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19
I received a phone call at 8.20 this morning saying a big package had arrived for me, I knew exactly what it was. Not a 5D from any of my blogging friends, not a new laptop from my twitter pals, this was something much more important to me.
A good while back I took a photograph of a rhino at Dublin Zoo. Not only has it got a lot of hits through google but because of it, an email arrived from Donna after leaving a comment on the post. I had assumed people had just come across the photograph while they were checking emails, playing games at Cheeky Bingo or just searching web. I was pretty amazed by the number of hits it had and even more surprised to receive an email about it..
Donna’s initial comment left me a bit puzzled “Would it be possible to paint this picture, please could you reply via email”. I answered via email to find out what she meant. She left a second post explaining a bit more what she was planning, and I liked the idea. Basically the art class she was in would use it as a subject for their painting class. I sent Donna a full resolution version of the photograph to hopefully make their lives a bit easier.
We kept in touch with a few more mails over the past few months, finding out how people were getting along with my picture, I got a surprise when Donna sent me a photo of the oil painting she was doing, it looked amazing saying “This is my trial painting at half way stage . I am then going on to do it on a large scale. As a group we would like to thank you for your picture, the group are all going to paint in different mediums.”.
A trial painting!!! you gotta be kidding me it looked fantastic. She then told me that she would post me a finished version of the oil painting, I could not believe it. I promptly sent Donna my address awaiting the package, which arrived today and the picture you see above is what I had the greatest pleasure unwrapping.
Donna I can’t thank you enough for this painting, it will find a special place in the house to be hung up, and to everyone else at the Art Class in Chesterfield, you have no idea how proud you have made a very amateur photographer feel, by using one of my photos.
Thank you.
geraldine says:
the original photo is amazing, the oil painting is fantastic. That’s the halfway stage? wow!
downsdad says:
Superb. The interweb, eh?
aileen says:
looks really great
Jo says:
There’s been a baby recently. This is great. I love how it looks like rock. And doesn’t the original rhino look so like a dinosaur?
dawn says:
fantastic donna.i am so glad other people can at last see how wonderful your art work is;you are an exceptional artist donna and i feel so proud to know you.
ryan says:
Fantastic! Im sure that 5D I ordered for you will arrive shortly though
Lotte says:
Donna, your rhino painting is amazing! V impressed ! I think you should send a copy to Miss Uttley to see what she thinks! I’m v proud of you! x
Lisa says:
What went wrong Donna. As a fellow hairdresser I should be artistic like you. Instead I have been blessed with the talent of a Rhino. This is fantastic, as Lotte said- Mrs Uttley will be spitting feathers!!! Well done. By the way- A* in your A level. Thats it girl, you show em….xx
McAWilliams says:
Its great to see so many comments come in on this post, especially for Donna, and so nice to see some people who I can only imagine know this fantastic artist personally, pop in and comment on her work.
I wish I knew her myself there’s so many of my pictures I would love to get painted!!!
DONNA says:
Thankyou for all your wonderful comments , i am amazed that people like my work Happy New Year to you all Donnax Watch out for website!!!
Donna says:
Hi , its Donna again, do you remember saying you had alot of picture do you have any Tiger as i could get close enogh at the Zoo
Cheers x
McAWilliams says:
Hey Donna, I will have a look through my archives and see if I can find anything for you. Leave it with me a day or two!
Donna says:
I wonder if you think its a good idea to enter it in a from page competition , you never know , I usually paint flowers but I had an email for a competition and the past winners was animals , email what you think to my address if you have time
Donna says:
Ahhh John i am talking about the Rhino , Sorry i, Its late haha
D.Wagner says:
How funny to find this thread… my daughter found your rhino photo today, and immediately wanted to paint it for a friend of hers for Christmas…I tracked the picture to your website here, and lo and behold, Donna (and others) had the same idea…
Is it still possible to obtain permission to paint this, and a nice, hi-res source to work from? If so, what would be involved in obtaining each?
Actually, I better email this request to you… perhaps you don’t check old threads like this anymore…