Gallery KH, Chicago 2010

Settling down after the whirlwind of two openings in the past two weeks. I am trying to regroup and replenish and I find that the summer heat is just making things a move a little slower right now. I always find that Art is the river that runs through my life - a constant that grows wider and deeper. Sometimes it rages and sometimes it just sort of slowly drifts along.

The opening at Gallery KH in Chicago coincided with a freak rainstorm that dumped 7 plus inches on the city - creating real rivers in unexpected places! Fortunately most of the rain fell well after the opening.

I was thrilled to see my work hung alongside the work of Charlotte Foust, it is an exciting mix of abstract paintings. I love the surprise of walking into the gallery and seeing the show for the first time!

In 3 weeks I will travel again to participate in the Saratoga Arts Celebration at the National Museum of Dance. I am looking forward to visiting this area. My fall festival schedule begins in September and there is much to prepare for, but for the moment, a little rest is on my list…

Saratoga Arts Celebration
August 21, 2010 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
August 22, 2010 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
at the National Museum of Dance
99 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY

“How fortunate we are to make our life’s work centred on experiencing life with depth and creating a soulful response to it.”
-Linda Saccoccio

July is an especially busy month and I look forward to presenting my new paintings. As I write this, nine new paintings are on the way to Chicago  for the July 23rd opening of “Surface Elements”, a two person show at Gallery KH. Next week a number of new works will be delivered to the Cousen Rose Gallery for a feature show opening July 17th. Beginning July 22nd, the Lagerquist Gallery will be featuring a collection of my works.

"Shifting Admiration" 48" x 36" work on canvas

Quite often I think of the view from an airplane window and how the surface below is mapped out by the intervention of the human hand. The roads, the buildings and homes, the congestion in contrast with open spaces and how those elements interact with natural elements and each other. There is somehow always an ordered sense of chaos, a quiet beauty, when the landscape is viewed from above. Borrowing from virtual images of the earth’s surface, I have enjoyed the ability to travel over the landscape at will. My paintings for this new series of work have been influenced by the complexities of pattern, structure of lines and vast open spaces discovered through those virtual travels.

Gallery KH
“Surface Elements” featuring the works of Deborah T. Colter & Charlotte Foust
July 23 - September 7, 2010 Opening Reception: Friday, July 23, 2010 5-8pm

Cousen Rose Gallery
Will feature the works of Deborah T. Colter
July 17 - July 24, 2010 Opening Reception: Saturday July 17, 2010 7-9pm

Lagerquist Gallery
Will feature a collection of works of Deborah T. Colter
Exhibit runs from July 22 - August 6, 2010

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes
but in having new eyes.”
-Marcel Proust

Painting is available from Gallery KH, Chicago, Il.

"Natural Peace" 20" x 20" work on canvas

Adventure, I love that! It’s a blooming adventure all right. Just back from the most recent art festival, one of my favorites, where we endured 90º plus heat and humidity, 4 am garbage collection wake up calls outside the hotel room every morning, and high winds, which put some exhibitors tents at risk. In addition we were warned of pending weather issues approaching on the last day - over half of the artists packed up and left which pretty much put an end to the festival. I took a chance, watching the radar all the time, and the pending rain never did make it to our location. I had my best sales that day! There was a robbery, a doggie carnival, a drunken celebration by fans of a winning team that left filth overnight in some exhibitors booths. It was three blooming days of adventure for sure! Great meals, nice hotel, good sales, lots of sweat, tears and a little blood. All in all a good weekend…

Looking forward to new adventures next weekend when I will be back on the road again. Leaving Friday to participate in the brand new Scarsdale Fine Art Fesitival on Saturday and Sunday. This will be the last of my spring festival show as I am preparing for up coming Gallery events this summer.

“Your most valuable asset can be your willingness to persist longer than anyone else.”
- Brian Tracy

Scarsdale Fine Arts Festival
Scarsdale, New York
June 19, 2010, 10:00 am-6:00 pm
June 20, 2010, 10:00 am-5:00 pm

Visit me in Booth #82

Painting is available.

"Dynamic Voyage" 48" x 48" work on canvas

This morning I had an interesting conversation with my Twitter friend Alison Jardine. While some may think Twitter is a waist of time, I have found it to be a well of inspiration for thought, conversation and information, all with a dash of fun. Anyway, in our limited 140 character tweets Alison asked me, “what’s the prime interaction that will take place in your painting…do you not have an idea of color set or anything, is it purely ‘impulse’ as you get started?” She shared that when she starts a painting, “I have an idea of the ‘reason’ for it, in terms of what I am exploring, it keeps me on track…” While I admire her technique, it is not the approach that I take at all - I show up and conduct the players so to speak. Now, don’t get me wrong, l always have ideas, so many in fact, that I need to control them or they go mad. While yes, I may start off with a specific color set, I almost never end up where I started. My colors change often as my interaction with the painting evolves. It is building and layering process - a give and take of balance and order, chaos and control. On a daily basis I show up and work without thinking how to work, I believe in my instincts, which comes from many, many days of just showing up to work. There are infinite ways that artists approach their work, and there is no right or wrong. What is your way of working…?

“Love what you do. Believe in your instincts. And you’d better be able to pick yourself up and brush yourself off every day. While life is not always fair, it is manageable. It is a matter of attitude and confidence.”
-Mario Andretti

Painting is available.

"Intimate Immensity" 40" x 40" work on canvas

Tomorrow I will be heading to Bethesda, Maryland to begin my spring show season at the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival. This will be a brief post as there is still much to do. I only participate in a few of these juried art festivals every spring and fall and always find them to be a welcome challenge. Sometimes it feels a bit like a circus act, choosing the work, packing the car with walls, tent, lights, step stool, weights and all the others various needs for the weekend. It somehow always seems to come together - usually with the help of my super supportive husband it everything magically makes it into the car and off we go.

Fully loaded and ready to go

There are many factors that go into making the show a success, sales of course go without saying,  a sophisticated buyer is a genuine inspiration!  I also find the interaction with the public is always a huge benefit for me. As artists we are very much alone in the studio, and when galleries or consultants take your work they don’t always share the feedback they get. This is an opportunity to get out there and really connect with folks one on one, to be an “exhibitionist” if you will. I hope to see you there…

“Every artist ought to be an exhibitionist.”
-Egbert Oudendag

Bethesda Fine Arts Festival
Saturday, May 8, from 10am - 6pm
Sunday, May 9, from 10am - 5pm
Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle, Norfolk & Auburn Avenues

Painting is available and will be on view in booth #53 in Bethesda.

-Bonnie R. Beaver

"Confidential Providence" 40" x 40" work on canvas

I have been very selfish with my time lately - I have been obsessed with my paintings and have devoted the majority of my available hours to them and them alone. I have been destroying things, rebuilding, removing, applying, sanding, scraping, reworking. Trying new colors, shapes, angles everything I can think of to bring a fresh look to my work by stepping off known paths...

I have been concentrating on slowing my process down, simplifying somewhat and being open to the intuitive process of creating. It takes time to respond to  those unexpected happenings within a piece. I am excited about the results so far and love that renewed spark of energy that comes with new work. Spring is here and there is much to be done for the upcoming show and gallery seasons, deadlines loom and obligations must be met. Although these efforts do not guarantee achieving the goal of success within of each picture, I believe it is true that fresh and exciting results can be achieved by stepping out of one’s comfort zone ocassionally. For that, I will try to remain open to all the possibilities…

I am pleased to be included in a show titled “Mixed Media” presented by Anelle Gandelman Fine Art at the AGFA Project Space in White Plains, NY. The show opens April 8 and runs through June 3, 2010.

“I destroy things every day in the act of working and often recall a picture I had considered finished in order to rework it.”
-Fred Auerbach

Painting is available.

All Images ©2010 Deborah T. Colter

Painting a lot these days - so much so that I seem to have neglected writing anything for a while. I have been consumed by the work at hand, preparing for an upcoming two person show at Gallery KH in Chicago, working on a large commission project for a Boston hotel lobby, organizing for spring festival shows and summer gallery openings, and making some neccesary changes in order to move forward. Change is not always easy. I am enjoying pushing my own limits a bit. Continuing to work on some new directions - focusing on letting go and trusting. I am not quite ready to post new works yet..still allowing my imagination to lead the way. Baby steps - giant leaps…stay tuned!

"After Treading Water" 60" x 48" Post 390 Boston, MA

I had occasion to visit Boston recently while dropping of some new pieces for Jules Place. My husband an I were able to vist the new restaurant Post 390, an upscale comfort food restaurant at 406 Stuart Street, where 6 of my original works are installed.

"Vanished Concentration" 60" x 48"

What a treat to actually see the paintings installed in their new home! We had a really nice lunch and enjoyed our visit with all the staff of this fabulous new restaurant.

Series of 4 works on paper

“It may take a leap of faith to be an artist and to trust that somehow with resolve, it will all work out and make sense to those who encounter it.”
-Alice Rich

All work in the collection of Post 390, Himmel Hospitality Group
Boston, MA

Earlier in the week I read an interesting blog post by Alison Jardine titled “Inspiration is Irrelevant”. Alison speaks of her experience answering a simple question from a local college student on assignment. The question asked was, “Where do you get your inspiration?” her response was, “I answered immediately with the first words that materialized, and as I said them I knew they were, for me, completely true: ‘Inspiration is irrelevant’” she goes on to explain quite clearly, “Each painting I create is a distillation of my experiences of perceiving and existing, they are my answer and reaction to simply being.”

I too am often asked this question and I usually find myself stumbling over the answer. Where does my inspiration come from?? I agree with Alison’s response that each painting is a distillation of experiences, but is inspiration irrelevant to me?

"Wandering On" 48" x 40" work on canvas

In the past weeks I feel as though I have been wandering among ideas. I have been looking a lot, trying new tools, new colors, new directions. Looking for a spark of “inspiration” to push my work just a little bit further. Digging deep, simplifying, complicating, pushing, struggling.  I wrote previously that sometimes inspiration comes from the most unexpected places - I still believe this.  Inspiration, motivation, determination, are all a part of the daily process of creating and without the continuous internal dialogue of experiences there can be little room for any creativity. Inspiration may be irrelevant, but without the understanding that it is the continuous collection of experiences stored in our souls that feeds us as artists, it may be a bit difficult to understand the magic. I believe inspiration comes in many forms, it is everywhere, it can often go unnoticed and yes, perhaps it is often irrelevant, but it is also the intangible thing that people who are not artists always seek to understand. It is often that thing that there are no words for. I expect I will continue to stumble over my answer, perhaps inspiration is irrelevant and invaluable at the same time.

Thank you Alison for stating your thoughts so clearly.

“My ‘inspirational’ or creative process feels like a dialogue between the collection of experiences that comprise myself as well as my immutable core, and the lines, form, colors and light in the natural world.”
-Alison Jardine

Painting is available.

"Dreaming of Summer" 50" x 50" work on canvas

Sometimes inspiration comes from the most unexpected places. I am back in my studio exploring a number of new directions. I am always interested in looking at other painters work but sometimes I think it is wise to stop looking at what others are doing and pull the focus back in - look, observe, study, and then forget it all and paint. It is not just other painters that inspire me; I can find inspiration just about anywhere. Finding a new source to explore is always a joy. I am having fun studying and incorporating my finds into my work right now - reminding myself, I “must not feel under any constraint”. Just paint, explore, experiment. It becomes too easy to fall into a pattern of working without pushing the limits. I am always looking for that balance of chaos and order - studying and working. Perhaps there will be only subtle changes or perhaps there will be something quite different in my work. It is way too early to tell where my new inspiration is taking me but this is why I paint.

I am looking forward to a feature show of my work at Gallery KH in Chicago opening in July 2010.

“Painting is like childbirth. It’s a precious gift that is labor intensive and
drains one’s energy. A natural high comes with creation.”
- Debbie DeBaun

“Some people choose not to donate their services because they believe that it somehow devalues them by “giving them away.” In truth, there is nothing that demonstrates the value of your skills more than putting
them to good use for a cause you believe in.”
-Scott Allen

"Piece Work #506" work on paper 10" x 10"

As I sit here in the comfort of my living room my heart aches for the people of Haiti. I have no real way of truly knowing their pain - the loss of everything when they had so little to begin with. The pictures of the devastation are just heartbreaking. To suffer the loss of untold loved ones and then to find yourself without food, water, power, sanitation, security, is something I have never experienced in my own life - I can only imagine the horror. To have your life so completely ripped apart by a devastating earthquake and then to summon all your strength just to survive, I can only imagine the pain. But it is in the imagining of that pain that I realize the blessings I do have.  I believe, as Scott Allen says, “…there is nothing that demonstrates the value of your skills more than putting them to good use for a cause you believe in.” There are many ways to offer help - money, food, supplies, time, prayers; we all do what we can in our own way,  be it small or large. I am donating this original unframed work on paper #506 from my “Piece Work Series”  to the 140 Hours Haitian Relief Art Auction.  This special auction will donate 100% of sales to the  rescue agencies on the ground in Haiti including the agencies  “Doctors Without Borders” and “International Medical Corps”. The auction will run for 48 hours beginning 1/29/10. I am honored to be able to contribute my work to this cause. I hope that in some small way we can all help ease the pain and suffering these people are living with as they pick up the pieces of their lives. Please join me in helping out this worthy cause by bidding on artwork or making a donation of your own.

“Artists are among the most generous of people. Perhaps inherent in the appreciation of creativity comes a deep, underlying love of humanity and our Earth.”
-Kelly Borsheim

Auction runs for 48 hours beginning at 9pm 1/29/2010.

“Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present.”

-Camus