About Donna Reinsel
My Pain Dolls
I'm beginning to see a flicker of light at the end of this long dark tunnel I've been in. I was diagnosed with breast cancer (again) in May and I had to step away from life as I knew it.
My Pain Dolls describe current and past pain and somehow creating them has helped me make sense of what I'm going through.
This is the most autobiographic
I'm beginning to see a flicker of light at the end of this long dark tunnel I've been in. I was diagnosed with breast cancer (again) in May and I had to step away from life as I knew it.
My Pain Dolls describe current and past pain and somehow creating them has helped me make sense of what I'm going through.
This is the most autobiographical and personal artwork I've ever done. The dolls are still helping me and I want to keep them together for now. I'd like to show them as a group, and offer them for sale when I feel I can say goodbye to them.
Donna Reinsel Metalwork, Pain Dolls, and the Wonder of Creativity and Healing
Donna Reinsel describes her 40 years of metalwork and steel furniture design, her experience as a welding instructor, and her current figurative sculpture work, which she calls Pain Dolls. The creation of this work is Donna’s way of making sense of her second cancer diagnosis. She talks about how and why she makes the pieces, the miracle of creativity, and her journey toward acceptance and healing.Since Donna’s second journey through breast cancer began in May 2024, she’s turned her creativity to making figurative sculptures she calls Pain Dolls to describe her experiences to herself and others. She says, “I make Pain Dolls because I want to see a visual representation of my inner and outer realities. Somehow, they help me make sense of pain and loss, and they heal me. Seeing them so caught helps me feel compassion for myself and for anyone who endures challenges, medical and otherwise. My Pain Dolls help me to accept and understand. Their story is my story.”
