His passions for wildlife led him to study Forest Game Management at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches and later pursue his love of art at Texas A&M University – Kingsville where art department professors observed his talent and encouraged him. Donald has a unique ability to capture light and color making his paintings almost transparent in a three dimensional sense with exceptional depth and detail. He attributes much of his success in mastering color and light to artists and teachers Robert H. Garden, Art Association of Corpus Christi founder and owner of Art Enterprises, Inc. in Irving and the late Dick Turner of Corpus Christi.

Donald has painted in oil, his preferred medium, semi-professionally, since 1968 and professionally since 2002 after retiring from a thirty-two year career with Southwestern Bell Telephone. His paintings and prints can be found in homes of friends and co-workers including corporate executives of SBC and many private and corporate collections across the U.S. Donald has been a contributing artist for the South Texas Celebrity Weekend now known as the South Texas Charity Quail Hunt since 2004 and is a member and contributor of the Texas Wildlife Association since 2006. A native Texan born in Kenedy, Donald currently lives in Choate, Texas.