RES art teacher’s works to be on display in Liberty

Rockland Central School elementary art teacher Donna Greenthal will be among the featured artists-educators at the Sullivan County Art Educators Exhibition at the Liberty Museum & Arts Center next month.
The exhibit will showcase the creative talents of art educators from across the region and will run from Sept. 5 through October at the museum at 46 S. Main St. in Liberty.
“I think it is fun for students, parents and community members to see an art teacher's art work,” Mrs. Greenthal said. “It gives them a sense of who we are and what we love.”
A second-grade teacher for 20 years at Roscoe Central School, she was able to return to her passion of art following the merger of the Roscoe and Livingston Manor school districts. 
“Her passion for art is evident in her classroom and the displays of student masterpieces she creates in the halls throughout the school year,” RES Principal Robin Francisco said.
Although her professional journey took a different path than she initially expected, art has always been a significant part of Mrs. Greenthal’s life.
“Art touches all of us and can bring a sense of well being and peace, as well as being a teaching tool,” she said.
She works primarily in watercolors, four or five of which will be included in the show in Liberty. Her artwork reflects the area's wildlife and scenery and is influenced by her love of Asian art with minimalistic stroke and palette. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, she also began dabbling in oils, “seeking their richness in color and fluidness,” she said. Her subjects continue to be her surroundings as well as the bounty of the garden and table. She has affiliations and memberships with Wallkill River Gallery, New England Watercolor Society and Delaware Valley Arts Alliance.
She has been exhibiting in the area and beyond for the past 30 years and has participated in numerous shows and galleries, including Catskill Arts Society, Delaware Valley Arts Alliance, Wallkill River Gallery, Callicoon Art Walk and Lew Beach Exhibit, as well as in the Museum of Crafts in New York City, the Newark Art Museum at Montclair State University in New Jersey, and in the collection of Larry Rockefeller.
“It is part of participating in the community and giving a glimpse of how art can inform, inspire and send a message to its viewers,” she said. 
“As educators, it is important to show students that their teachers are skilled and knowledgeable about the subject matter,” Mrs. Greenthal said. 
And her knowledge is wide ranging, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Montclair State University, a Master in Business Administration in Educational Technology through the New York Institute of Technology, taking courses in illustration at Parsons School of Design and finishing her Elementary Educator K-6th degree at SUNY New Paltz. She also studied watercolor under renowned artists Ferdinand Petrie and Mel Stabin.
“Teachers are not only there to teach, but to inspire,” Mrs. Greenthal said. “Displaying our artwork in a professional setting shows students what they can accomplish.”
Admission to the Sullivan County Art Educators Exhibit is free and open to the public. An artist reception will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, offering visitors an opportunity to meet participating artists and view their work.