Donald Drake Fine Art Gallery
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Don Drake
About the Artist
If You’ve Ever Felt Weathered—But Still Standing
If you’ve ever felt weathered by life—but still standing—you’ll understand what draws me to paint.
I’m drawn to the spaces where endurance and beauty meet—the places and people shaped by time, tested by storms, and still standing with quiet grace. There’s something sacred in what endures. A house that’s held its ground against decades of wind and sea, a landscape that remembers every season, a face that carries its years honestly—these are reminders that strength isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s just steady.
Painting for me is an act of noticing that steadiness. It’s a way of saying, “This matters. This has meaning.” Every brushstroke is both prayer and response—an acknowledgment of what’s been weathered, and a testament to what remains.
In every piece, I hope to offer something more than an image. I want to offer a moment of peace, a reminder of resilience, a glimpse of quiet strength.
I make paintings to help people feel grounded in their own endurance—to remember that what has been tested can also be transformed, and that beauty often lives right at the edge of what we’ve survived.
Creating what will one day hang on your wall
"I love hearing when someone tells me a painting they bought years ago still feels alive to them—catching a new light, a new emotion. To me, that’s the measure of real art: something that keeps offering strength and stillness, meeting you wherever life has taken you." -Don
I see myself as a guide, bringing back places and stories that have endured—so you can feel their strength, history, and quiet beauty without leaving your space.
A place or face I’ve encountered, weathered by time and storms, can reach across any distance to touch you—a reminder that art bridges us, carrying strength, history, and quiet connection.
My Why
"People often ask why I’m drawn to weathered places—rugged coasts, old houses, faces that carry their stories.
The truth is, I do it for you. I want my paintings to carry more than surface beauty. I want them to hold the truth of what’s endured—the storms, the waiting, the quiet faith that something lasting can rise from it all.
When you look at my work, I want you to feel that strength—yours, reflected back through the endurance and light I’ve captured."
Where Faith and Art Converge
I am a passionate follower of Jesus Christ, and everything I create—with my hands and heart—is for His glory. From the beginning, my deepest desire has been to honor the Lord through the gifts He’s entrusted to me. Like the great masters before me, I long to reflect His beauty, truth, and grace in my work.
My journey with Christ began when I was a pre-teen. Two college students shared the Gospel with me, and though I was afraid, God held me fast. That night, I surrendered to Jesus, and my life was transformed from darkness to light.
In time, I wandered—but God was patient. Though I resisted His call to ministry for years, His grace never let go. When I finally surrendered, I discovered my true purpose.
For nearly forty years, I’ve had the privilege of serving as a pastor, walking with extraordinary people whose kindness, courage, and faith have deeply shaped me.
Now, I feel called to tell their stories—and His—through art. With each painting, I seek to capture glimpses of God’s presence in His people and His creation. A weathered face, a bent tree, light breaking through clouds—each image is a testimony.
My prayer is that my work draws others not just to the art, but to the heart of the One who inspires it all.
"Not every painting will speak to everyone—and that’s okay. The right work finds the right viewer. You don’t choose it; it chooses you, reflecting your own quiet strength and endurance."
"I don’t create for a faceless audience. I create for you—the person who values depth, authenticity, and meaning. When you see yourself in my work, know that you are the one I had in mind all along."
“The Power of Art Is That It Reaches You, Wherever You Are”
COLLECTOR REVIEWS
Words from those who’ve welcomed Don's art into their lives.
"The color contrasts are just gorgeous! It looks so real. Like you could step into the picture and stand behind her admiring God as He moves. Just beautiful and breathtaking."
— jody s.
“This is remarkable talent, Don. To not only capture the physical resemblance of the people, but to do it and fill the scene with the emotion of the moment as well. All the work you have done to master your craft clearly shows is evident in each sketch.”
— Bonny S.
“All art depends on your inspiration; you can only feel it when you are in it, so you are very good.”
— Prybl Joe Brad
“We had such an incredible experience using Don to paint a portrait for my brother-in-law and his wife for a wedding gift. He captured every little detail from the joy on their faces to their playful demeanor in the picture. When we gifted it to them the look on their faces was priceless!!! They were so thrilled for such a meaningful piece of art that they will be able to share for many years to come. We are incredibly blessed and grateful for Don's hard work and amazing talent on this portrait. We are also incredibly impressed with the turnaround time as well. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts Don!!!.”
— Jason and lisa s.
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