John Donegan is an Australian artist and former photojournalist who has exhibited widely. He is known for his photography that captures the beauty and rhythm of everyday life, as well as his multimedia compositions that explore the landscapes of Yorta Yorta country.
Donegan was born in Melbourne, Victoria, and grew up in the suburbs. He was inspired by the writings of Australian authors like David Malouf and George Johnston, who turned ordinary scenes into something magical.
He sold his first photograph to a newspaper at the age of 14 and pursued a career in photojournalism. He worked for The Herald Sun and The Age in Melbourne, The Evening Standard and The Guardian in London, Associated Press, Getty Images and other media outlets, covering events and stories in Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
The Broken Creek represents a change in subject matter that mirrors his changed mental state: peaceful, contemplative, with a myriad of details in the deepest shadows.
Donegan remains as enthused and energised by the art of photography today as he was on the 19 August 1985, when he walked nervously through the brass and glass doors of The Herald and Weekly Times.
