Featured Artist Debra Davis

Artist Debra Davis presents a collection of classic oil paintings created with spiritual inspiration from nature. Visit her website to see more of her portfolio.

 

 

Drawing and painting have always intrigued me. I had my first chance to learn how to create formalized art in my 11th grade art class. My teacher set up still lifes and we drew them in charcoal. I was amazed that I had the ability to create a piece of art that actually looked like what I saw. That semester of art fueled a fire in me that has grown throughout my life.

 

 

Life issues seemed to always get in the way of really practicing my art. When my son was a baby in 1975, I was thrilled that I had the opportunity to learn to paint with a local artist, Tom Johnson. I began painting in acrylics and thought oils were for the experts. Little did I know that I would eventually fall in love with painting in oils. Now I constantly strive to improve my technique and style in this beautiful medium.

 

 

Many years passed between my original painting in acrylics and picking up my paintbrushes once again. In 2014, I was able to take some time away from my job as a realtor and take some classes under Barb Dickerson. She is a wonderful realist painter, mentored by Dahlhart Windberg, and she taught his technique. In this class I felt I was finally able to learn the detailed realistic techniques that I love.

 

 

My inspiration for paintings comes from God’s beautiful creations in our world. Nature holds many choices that will give me a lifetime of images to paint. I love to find places that seem to be forgotten and left behind and paint the beauty that shines through.

 

 

I find many scenes in rural America that I want to bring to a canvas. I love old barns that are beginning to fall in. They have untold stories and mysterious history.

 

 

Their job is done and they are no longer needed for their intended purpose. But part of them remains to show us they did their job well. It is an honor to be able to portray their life in a painting. Hopefully my painting invokes memories that remind viewers of a slower time in life that brought them joy.

 

 

Many artists paint in a painterly style. But I want to create an image that is recognizable, so that when you look at it, you  say “Wow” and want to get closer to see how it was done. I want to share the beauty of each brushstroke. Because of this, I strive to put my heart into each painting.

 

 

Many people tell me that my paintings are peaceful, and I cannot imagine a better feeling for people to have. Knowing that I bring joy to others out of something that brought me joy to paint, is what drives me to continue. It is my hope to create for many years to come.

 

 

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