Deborah has been creating awesome artworks since the 1990’s. Her stunning abstract artworks stir up the emotions with her loose brush strokes and vibrant colours.

It goes without saying, we wanted to know more about what is behind Deborah’s work…

Carol: What is the inspiration behind your artwork and how does it relate to your pieces?

Deborah: The Inspiration behind my work is landscape. My initial thoughts are triggered from observation and an emotional response rather than from an objective , conceptual approach .

The inspiration of a winters scene may suggest darker , more subdued colours compared to a summers bright exuberant one.

A wide open landscape may suggest more dramatic shapes compared to a more intimate closer knit one . Over the years I have built up a vocabulary of mark making to convey the different moods landscape can offer.

Carol: When did you know you were going to be an artist?

Deborah: When I was 4 and I covered myself and the walls with my aunts lipstick!

Carol: What artist inspires you?

Deborah: Many artists inspire me but probably the most are the St Ives group . Heron for his use of colour, Hilton for his mark making and Lanyon for his depiction of space.

I am always asked if I am a relation to Peter Lanyon ---the answer is no. Peter Lanyon was a great British painter in the 50's and 60' . I have, howeve,r shown my work with his son MartinLlanyon in an exhibition in London.

Carol: - How do you start your pieces?

Deborah: I start a painting with drawing then washes of colour.

Carol: Can you tell us about your process?

Deborah: I try to keep the painting as open as many options as possible . This allows the work to be questioned and to go through a series of elimination. After time the painting begins to take on a voice of its own.

I paint in three sections; a beginning ,a middle and an end . In the middle I paint more on the floor , adding more flesh to the bones of the work by using thicker paint . Working against the floor gives me more purchase on the marks i make .

In the third and final section I will view the work horizontally on the wall and fine tune the painting keeping its freshness but making sure it is resolved and can stand alone as an object in itself.

Carol: How long does it take to complete a piece?

Deborah: The time it takes to create a painting varies greatly . A large painting can take weeks as each session needs to dry and I work in layers to build up the surface .

I want the painting to stand alone and this takes time to be recognised and resolved. Standing back to look and allowing the painting to work on its own terms rather than over manipulate the paint needs patience and a 4 ft square painting can take up to a month at least .

Smaller works can often come out of a larger piece which can assist and support its passage of time.