About Linda McDonald. . .
a Liliedahl-Certified Oil Painting Instructor

Thirty-two years ago, I started taking classes in Pastel Portraits, Mini Landscapes, and Tole Painting – all in the same week!  Since then, painting has been a major part of my life.  With a degree in Music Education, I continued teaching instrumental music as I also started teaching art in my home studio in Minnesota.  Searching for fellow artists who shared my passion led me to become a charter member in two Tole Painting Chapters in MN.  As a member of the Society of Decorative Painters, I began teaching at their conventions and selling my designs around the country in 1987.  As I taught across the country, I became recognized as a pastel artist that captured the essence of an animal – whether a pet portrait or an animal in the wild.

As my three boys grew up, my art took on a different direction as I became involved with saving the PTC 33 Carousel in St. Paul, MN.  For ten years, I led the paint restoration effort – restoring the scenes on the rounding boards and all 68 horses, eventually becoming the Executive Director.  I am still active with the PTC 33 Carousel, serving on the Board of Directors for the past twenty-years.

In 2001, my husband and I moved to Frisco, TX when he was transferred with his job.  I refocused my art once again by taking a Portrait Class in oil at the Liliedahl School of Classical Art in LaPorte, TX.

After one class with Johnnie, I knew I had to start at the beginning to soak up all the knowledge that she shared with her students!  I became a Certified Teacher and continued to teach around the country.  I gradually started changing from teaching Pastels and Watercolors over to teaching Oils.  Johnnie encouraged me to further my education by studying with other artists.  I have studied with many artists including: Scott Christensen, Huihan Liu, Sherrie McGraw, Xiang Zhang, Dalhart Windberg, Joe Anna Arnett, William Schneider, and Lynn Gertenbach.

Even though I enjoyed learning from all these excellent artists, I continued returning to Johnnie – spending the past two years by her side helping where I could and continuing to learn.  At this point, my paintings have taken on a whole new vibrancy of color and understanding of design.  Painting from life is still the most fun and the biggest challenge – whether outdoors or in the studio, with live models or still-life set ups!  

My schedule is still very busy as I continue to teach classes around the country, at Unique Woods in Arlington, TX and my home studio in Frisco, TX.  I teach my own designs, as well as, paintings based on Johnnie’s original paintings and copies of Old Masters.  All my open classes are based on the classical tonalist method and teach basic theory/history, but also include colorist knowledge.

I can be reached for information about classes and seminars at: (email) Linda McDonald or cell 972-213-7888.