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“The First Raven” © Debora Stewart |
Name: Debora L. Stewart,
PSA
Bio: Debora
Stewart gained a M.S.Ed. Counselor Education, Western Illinois University,
Macomb, Illinois, and her B.A. Art Education, University of Iowa, Iowa City. As a middle school art teacher and counsellor, Debora finds herself using
art to help people, adolescents especially, better understand themselves. Her
work is largely intuitive and imaginative, but it’s rooted in nature and the
artist’s familiarity with natural forms. Her colour choices are inspired by the
colours of nature too – flowers, sunsets, rivers, the seasons. She likes to
create work with an expressive, gestural line, for which pastels are
ideal, combining as they do drawing with painting.
Debora is a member
of the Iowa Pastel Association, the Pastel Painters of Chicago, and a Signature
Member of the Pastel Society of America. She has figured in the Pastel 100 in
2010 and 2011 and in International Artist Magazine in 2012, and her work is
featured in the book Finding Your Style in Pastel by Jean Hirons.
Medium: Pastel. Debora works on sanded pastel paper that is mounted later on archival board. This allows her the opportunity to be experimental. She often begins with an initial line of vine charcoal or an underpainting of oil paint. Small sections of previously completed line drawings are used as the basis for her paintings. Debora says that her ultimate goal is to create a richly textured pastel painting with beauty and depth that reflects the mystery and spirit of the natural world.
Medium: Pastel. Debora works on sanded pastel paper that is mounted later on archival board. This allows her the opportunity to be experimental. She often begins with an initial line of vine charcoal or an underpainting of oil paint. Small sections of previously completed line drawings are used as the basis for her paintings. Debora says that her ultimate goal is to create a richly textured pastel painting with beauty and depth that reflects the mystery and spirit of the natural world.
Subjects:
Abstract. As I rarely feature abstract artists, I will let Debora speak for
herself: “I am most inspired by creating work with a gestural, expressive line
and intuitive color choice. My work is not an observational record but
contains elements of an emotional experience in nature. I am drawn to
shadows and reflections of light and I believe this is also evident in my work.”
Style: Debora
states: “My work is primarily abstractions in pastels. I do enjoy working
with animal imagery periodically. This allows me to bring some
representational images to my work. It also allows me to express my love
for animals. My intent with these images is to create an emotional
connection with the collector and the spirit of the animal.”
Navigation: Main
menu remains at side at all times,
Gallery:
Abstractions; Small Abstractions; Transitions; Animal Abstractions.
Image View: The
galleries scroll from side to side, as do the thumbnails when one chooses a
gallery. Thumbnails enlarge in a viewer on the same page and may not be
downloaded. Information is provided on medium, support and dimension. The First
Raven is 15 x 22 ins.
Blog/Demo: No
Debora's work is great!
ReplyDeleteHello Casey - glad to see you're still reading the blog. And you're right about Debora - this is one abstract artist I could not ignore.
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