Painter, sculptor and teacher, born in Godalming, Surrey. His work often reflected ephemeral events and personalities and the media. Studied at Regent Street Polytechnic School of Art, 1957–8, and Slade School of Fine Art, 1958–62, obtaining a London University postgraduateship of fine art in 1962–3. He showed with Young Contemporaries and LG and had first one-man show at Rowan Gallery in 1963. Joined teaching staff of Chelsea School of Art in 1962, the year before he won a second prize in John Moores Liverpool Exhibition. Between 1966–8 Donaldson worked in California, America, on return to London producing sculptures based on his paintings of Los Angeles cinemas. Beach and nocturnal Parisian scenes followed, as well as girl and hanging trapeze sculptures.
Text source: 'Artists in Britain Since 1945' by David Buckman (Art Dictionaries Ltd, part of Sansom & Company)
