Donna Demente is a New Zealand artist. She is a 1987 graduate of the University of Auckland's Elam School of Fine Arts. She specialises in extreme close-up portraiture, with the emphasis on eyes, and also works with masks. Her style is heavily influenced by mediaeval art. She was a winner in the 1991 Nelson World of Wearable Art Awards. Demente has been very heavily involved in the revival of the art scene in

North Otago North Otago in New Zealand covers the area of Otago between Shag Point and the Waitaki River, and extends inland to the west as far as the village of Omarama (which has experienced rapid growth as a developing centre for astronomy and for glid ...

and is the organiser of

Oamaru Oamaru (; mi, Te Oha-a-Maru) is the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand, it is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is south of Timaru and north of Dunedin on the Pacific coast; State Highway 1 and the railway ...

's annual mask festival. She currently resides in the North Otago town of Oamaru and exhibits much of her work in her "Grainstore Gallery" which is situated in Harbour Street, Oamaru's Historic Precinct. In the , Demente unsuccessfully stood as a list candidate for

McGillicuddy Serious Party The McGillicuddy Serious Party (McGSP) was a satirical political party in New Zealand in the late 20th century. Between 1984 and 1999, it provided "colour" to ensure that citizens not take the political process too seriously. The party's logo, th ...

. She initially was to contest the electorate as well, but withdrew owing to "fear of being sentenced to a term in Parliament".

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Works in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
New Zealand artists New Zealand women artists People from Oamaru Living people Elam Art School alumni McGillicuddy Serious Party politicians Unsuccessful candidates in the 1999 New Zealand general election Year of birth missing (living people) {{NewZealand-politician-stub