Don entered San Jose State University in 1949 and graduated in 1954 in Fine Arts. He then spent two years in the Navy at the Naval Security Station in Washington, D.C. as an electronic draftsman. On returning to Santa Cruz, Don worked five years at the Santa Cruz Sentinel newspaper in their Display Advertising Department as an artist and salesperson. In 1960 he became co-owner of Sentinel Printers, a print shop in Santa Cruz. Since retiring in 1992 Don has been working in watercolor. His watercolors have been exhibited in various galleries, offices and restaurants throughout Santa Cruz County, including the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, Government Center, Cafe Rio and Print Smith in Aptos and Santa Cruz County Bank and the Post Office Gallery in Moss Landing and the Scotts Valley Library.