WORLD FAMOUS SCOTTSDALE CHILDREN'S ARTIST PASSES AWAY America's beloved painter of children, Donald Zolan, passed away in July at the side of his loving wife and soul mate, Jennifer R. Zolan in Scottsdale, AZ. Donald was "the people's artist", a true gentleman of great humility, a happy and positive thinking man, and a man who cherished and loved his wife. Born on August 11, 1937 to the late James and Margaret Zolan of Brookfield, IL., Donald Zolan's happy and idyllic childhood in America's Heartland was his continual source of inspiration for his famous children and Santa Claus paintings. The love and joy one sees in his paintings are a sincere expression of himself as the warmth and richness of his work touches the heart and enlivens the soul. A fifth generation artist, Donald was a precocious talent who started drawing at the age of three completing his first oil painting by age eight. A graduate of Chicago's American Academy of Art, Zolan began his artistic career apprenticing under the famous Chicago Illustrator, Haddon Sundblom. As Donald's reputation grew as a distinguished portrait artist, his precious paintings of children earned him global fame winning the Six Time Winner of America's Favorite Plate Artist and 12 time Award Winner of the Collector Editions Awards of Excellence.