Little Pink House Features Artwork and ‘Rockin Gifts’

By SARAH ROBERTS
UNADILLA

Just a few days ago, Mark Donnell of Unadilla opened his “Little Pink House’” art stand once again. For years, Donnell has sold crafts and artworks, as well as mugs with photos of the art, from his building at 326 Butternut Road in Unadilla.

Donnell postponed the opening, originally planned for April, in the name of expanding his current form of artistic expression—oil paintings.

“I [was] hesitating opening because I’m playing with my painting,” he joked, adding, “The oil pictures are new this year, barely anybody has seen them. Not even my family has seen them.”

Donnell has created 97 pieces for the Little Pink House his year. His works are all inspired by hobbies from his childhood that help to keep him busy during the cold months of winter. He has been crafting over the winter for years, he said, and has found that people happily buy what he creates.

The Little Pink House is known for the intricate rock stacks that Donnell creates with a technique he has found through experimentation and trial and error during more than 30 years of rock stacking.

“I figured out a technique to make the rocks stand over the winter,” he said, noting that 95 percent of them remain standing despite the rapidly-changing conditions and other wear on outdoor artwork as a result of storms and cold weather.

Donnell retired after being a home designer, remodeler and builder for years.

“The art I do now is the same as the business—when I do a design, it has to be beyond the norm and so beautiful you just have to sit there and admire it,” he explained, “It’s a nice thing for a retired guy to be doing.”

“Rocks and cups bring big smiles and good luck,” he said. “It’s a good luck shop, is what we call it.”
The Little Pink House is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.