Cookeville Artist Leaves Paintings In Park For Residents

A Cookeville artist tried to bring some color into what has been a grey world the last four weeks. She left some of her paintings in Dogwood Park for anyone to come pick them up.

Artist Nancy Donadio said this was the first time she’s done something like this.

“I love painting, I mean it’s what I do it’s who I am. I know it sounds a little corny, but it’s how I express love to people. So I mean to me it was a thing that I could do to make someone’s day a little brigher,” Donadio said.

Donadio posted her plan on Hip Cookeville Thursday night to notify the public. She asked in her post for people to post on Hip Cookeville her paintings.

Five painting prints were left on park benches. Scenes from the paintings included Cummins Falls, the courthouse during Christmas, John’s Place, Ralph’s Donuts, and the Depot Museum.

“Here locally we’ve seen a lot of our iconic places that are gone like the hardware store that was on the West Side and Wilson Sporting Goods that burned down. I mean a lot of these iconic places disappear so I’m trying to preserve some of them. My paintings are realistic but yet they have a twist in them too that leaves a little bit to the imagination,” Donadio said.

Donadio has been painting almost all her life and paints full time. She said she’s been active in the Cookeville art community for about 10 years.