Meet Brenda McDougald: CASA Cards for a Cause Artist

We asked friends, families, and supporters of CASA to generously submit any original artwork they thought would make a great greeting card. We were graciously overwhelmed by the amount of support we received from everyone: 70 artists submitted over 100 pieces to the fundraiser. Meet Brenda McDougald: one of the 19 artists whose piece was chosen to help benefit victimized children in New Hampshire.

Brenda McDougald is a photographer residing in Nashua, NH. Her job at Enterprise Bank never dulled the passion she picked up five years ago. Now, she is donating her work to more than just CASA Cards for a Cause! To learn more about her and her passions, and how she got to where she is today in her field, we asked Brenda a few questions:

CASA: Tell us about yourself! What is your background? Do you primarily create art or do you have other hobbies/careers?
BRENDA: I am a Regional Business Advisor, Vice President with Enterprise Bank’s New Hampshire team focused on new business development. I have been in banking a total of 35 years.  Photography is a great passion of mine, and has become a second business over the past few years.  My primary area of interest is local landscapes.  I have been featured in this year’s Nashua Chamber “N” Magazine, was chosen for the cover of the Hollis Heritage Commission’s annual calendar for 2019 & 2020, and have a number of photos in the new Souhegan Valley Membership Guide.  I was honored with a first place award in 2018 at the Beaver Brook Fall Festival in Hollis for a photo taken at sunrise in Greeley Park in Nashua, and  received “Best in Theme” honors this year for a photo named “Winter Peace”, a row of barren trees in a snowy field at sunset.

CASA: How long have you been creating art? How were you introduced to this craft?
BRENDA: My interest in photography began about five years ago as I found a need for a creative outlet.  Enterprise Bank is extremely supportive of the arts in general, and they have allowed me the opportunity to incorporate that into my role at the bank; that helped foster my passion and my interest in taking photography to the next level!  They have purchased numerous photos for our local bank branches, largely at the request of employees which has been very uplifting for me!  The positive feedback I have received from people in general who have seen and purchased my photos has been instrumental in propelling me forward.  Most gratifying has been donating my work to roughly 15 charity auctions over the past 4 years which has resulted in substantial funds raised for incredibly worthy and important causes…that is truly a “win-win” and has filled my heart.

CASA: Do you have a process you typically use to generate new ideas?
BRENDA: I try to find obscure places that I never noticed before, by walking and/or driving around the area, it has trained me to look for small yet beautiful, significant things everywhere!

CASA: What are three words you would use to describe your artistic style?
BRENDA: Authentic, hopeful, peaceful

CASA: Do you have any influencers in the art industry that you particularly enjoy?
BRENDA: There are many I enjoy and appreciate, in particular I am really drawn to Joel Meyerowitz.

CASA: Do you have a website or a business that you would like to share with the readers?
BRENDA: Photography by Brenda McDougald currently shown on Facebook and an Etsy page soon to follow.  I have a studio in Nashua as well.  If anyone wishes to email me, they can do so.

CASA: What is your affiliation with CASA?
BRENDA: I have friends and colleagues who have been involved over the years in different capacities, and my Rotary Club (Derry, NH) supports CASA as well.

CASA: Do you have a website or a business that you would like to share with the readers? 
BRENDA: Photography by Brenda McDougald currently shown on Facebook. I have a studio at 14B Court Street in Nashua as well. If you would like to reach me, please click here.

Thank you to Brenda and every other artist who submitted to the CASA Cards for a Cause Fundraiser. This fundraiser is yet another way ordinary people can make extraordinary efforts in combating child abuse and neglect in New Hampshire. There are so many way to help, so thank all of you who have done so.

If you’d like to purchase Brenda’s greeting card or view the rest of the cards we sell from other local artists, click here to browse.


All Cards printed by Allegra of Bedford.