top of page

Biography

edit_img20221128_23130398.jpg

Seanna Doonan studied illustration at the University of Huddersfield and holds a Masters in Authorial Illustration from the University of Falmouth. Based in Wakefield, Seanna specialises in mural art and illustration and her passion lies in the creation of historical and socio-political pieces.


Through illustrating mining heritage and communities of the North, Seanna was invited to exhibit her work at The Hepworth Wakefield to coincide with the Bill Brandt and Henry Moore exhibition. Since then, her work has been featured in The Guardian, Observer, and The Yorkshire Post Magazine. Coming from a family of folk musicians, Seanna grew up listening to and singing songs about mining, industrial strikes and other historical and social struggles. These created a vivid picture of working-class issues, whilst reflecting the highlights and hardships of everyday life. It is these experiences that form the basis for much of Seanna’s work.


Seanna begins each illustration with a pen sketch initially creating the characters and forming the landscape, building an intimate and domestic everyday scene. It is through these ordinary scenes that Seanna is able to address other issues.

 

Heavily influenced by her own roots and inspired by the lives of ordinary people, Seanna believes it is these values that give her work a unique identity and lend to it being described as both evocative and undeniably nostalgic.

"Seanna Donnan captures the spirit of the former mining communities she grew up in"

The Yorkshire Post

Newsroom

bottom of page