Donagh Mengel is an Australian artist whose creative journey is deeply rooted in a lifelong passion for colour and form. With a distinguished background in Industrial and Interior Design, Donagh’s professional career has long been defined by innovation, problem-solving, and visual sensitivity. In 1986, she became the first female in Queensland to graduate in Industrial Design, marking a significant milestone for both herself and the discipline. That same year, she was awarded the Design Institute of Australia Prize for the most outstanding product design work by a graduate—recognition that affirmed her early talent and commitment to creative excellence.
Donagh went on to contribute significantly to design education, particularly through her work with QUT’s School of Design. In 2016, she received a Recognition of Service to Education from QUT, honouring her impact on students and the industrial design community during the program’s 40th anniversary celebrations.
Although Donagh has painted throughout her life, her recent return to a more intentional art practice reflects a desire to reconnect with the expressive freedom that first drew her to creativity. Working primarily in watercolour and ink, her paintings embrace movement, looseness, and a sense of intuitive discovery. Natural subjects—the ocean, flowers, trees, and vast landscapes—form the heart of her inspiration, offering her space to explore atmosphere, emotion, and the evocative power of colour.
Her recent work leans into the exploration of rhythm and energy, capturing the fluidity of nature through drips, lines, and layered washes. While she balances this artistic evolution with her responsibilities as Director of Aspire Gallery, Donagh continues to return to her practice as a space of renewal and imagination, creating works that reflect both her design heritage and her enduring love for the natural world.
