ARTIST BIO

An Early Life Decision

Don Sahli’s journey to become a professional artist began at an early age.
"I remember working with chalk and wet brown paper towels in kindergarten - I loved it!"

During high school, he was honored as a gold key finalist at the National Scholastic Art Competition for an unprecedented four consecutive years. At age 15, he was exhibiting and selling his work at galleries in New Mexico and in Texas. As a freshman at the University of Texas at Austin, he made Dean's list and his work was selected for the student faculty show.

Meeting Sergei Bongart

In 1982 Don met Sergei Bongart the famous Russian colorist. "I attended a painting demonstration by Sergei Bongart at his summer workshop in Rexburg, Idaho. There I saw Bongart use color, paint and confident brush strokes like I had never seen before. At that moment I knew I wanted to be a painter in this colorful tradition of the Russian School. My life was changed forever in an instant.” At Bongart’s invitation, Don moved to Los Angeles, CA and became Bongart’s last scholarship student and apprentice. Sahli was also a pupil of Sunny Apinchapong Yang, Bongart’s long time teaching assistant. Don studied with Bongart for three years, until his passing in 1985

Sergei was a strong personality, he taught as he painted - with great emotion, using poignant story telling and sharp humor.

Bongart was great painter- his teaching touched many students - like a stone being tossed into a quiet pond. Many rings and ripples...

Continuing the Legacy

In 1995 Don Sahli opened the Sahli School of Art where he continues the tradition of color and temperature in the lineage of the Russian masters. “My teacher Sergei Bongart taught, his teacher Peter Kotov was taught by Nicolai Fechin and Fechin was a pupil of the fountainhead of all modern Russian painting Ilya Repin." Sahli keeps this tradition alive by giving back to the student as this is a critical aspect of the artistic learning processes. Sahli states, “I am a better painter because I teach and I learn from my students. The Russian tradition of painting continues. Bongart's heavy steps are still heard in my classes and studios”.

Presently, Don’s work is represented in the U.S. and held in private collections nationally and internationally. Sahli has been a professional painter for over 35 years, he has a firm pedigree and is prolific, producing large studio pieces, plein air paintings, as well as public, corporate, and private commission work. Known for his use of paint; his brush stroke is exciting and carries a positive emotion to the viewer. His work is described as plein air, impressionist, colorist, realist, luminous, modern, and contemporary.