creative highlight
from our community
DEBORAH ALEXANDER
from Galax, Virginia USA
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Deborah’s earlier work was very realistic - still-lifes, landscapes, and portraits. Later, Deborah’s art took on a more playful, whimsical tone. Inspired by bright colors and artists like Mary Engelbreit and Joanne Sharpe, Deborah began painting (mostly in the park during lunch) small 5” x 7” pieces that a friend dubbed “tablescapes”. These paintings depicted brightly colored interior views of coffee and tea ware, books, and vases of flowers. Watercolor combined with ink became a trademark of her work.
While browsing in the craft section of a local store in the summer of 2016, Deborah discovered a small pack of spouncers, sponges normally used for stenciling, and thought – “Hmmm… what can I do with these?” These spouncers, along with other objects, like empty tape rolls and jar lids, became circle-makers, and Deborah’s “Whimsical Watercolor Blooms” were born. These blooms begin with thoughtfully placed circles stamped or “spounced” in watercolor on a sheet of watercolor paper. Then begins the process of drawing petals, leaves, and other botanical patterns and shapes in ink, followed by watercolor. Deborah finds this process to be very meditative, relaxing, and fun.
In September 2016, Deborah learned to crochet by watching YouTube videos. She loves to use brightly colored yarn to make flower and square motifs that she combines to make blankets and throws. Deborah finds crochet, like watercolor, to be very therapeutic. Deborah enjoys teaching and sharing her love of art with others.
Contact her here: [email protected]
See more of her work and follow her on Instagram: @deborahalexanderart
While browsing in the craft section of a local store in the summer of 2016, Deborah discovered a small pack of spouncers, sponges normally used for stenciling, and thought – “Hmmm… what can I do with these?” These spouncers, along with other objects, like empty tape rolls and jar lids, became circle-makers, and Deborah’s “Whimsical Watercolor Blooms” were born. These blooms begin with thoughtfully placed circles stamped or “spounced” in watercolor on a sheet of watercolor paper. Then begins the process of drawing petals, leaves, and other botanical patterns and shapes in ink, followed by watercolor. Deborah finds this process to be very meditative, relaxing, and fun.
In September 2016, Deborah learned to crochet by watching YouTube videos. She loves to use brightly colored yarn to make flower and square motifs that she combines to make blankets and throws. Deborah finds crochet, like watercolor, to be very therapeutic. Deborah enjoys teaching and sharing her love of art with others.
Contact her here: [email protected]
See more of her work and follow her on Instagram: @deborahalexanderart
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Can you tell us about your introduction to art? How did you know you had a creative gift?
I was just a little girl in elementary school. I won a poster contest – I think maybe second grade. I have always loved to make things and draw and paint. I was twelve years old when my sister took a correspondence course in art. I remember doing the exercises in her books and duplicating the drawings in pencil. I also remember about the same time looking through Country Living magazines and duplicating the architectural renderings of houses pictured in the magazines. I don’t remember it, but Mama told me that I made a doll for my 3rd grade teacher’s little baby girl, and Mama took me over to her house to deliver it. My teacher mentioned that many, many years later. I have just always, always loved to make things with my hands!
Did you ever think you’d be selling your art, or teaching art?
It has always been my dream. I don’t do it full-time, but I have taught art and sold my art off and on for the past 30 years.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have in explaining what you do to others who don’t find themselves in a creative background or field? Life family/friends/strangers?
The biggest thing is that people who aren’t creative don’t always understand how much of your heart and soul goes into a piece – whether a painting or crocheted piece. It’s an extension of you and it’s valuable. It’s not something you can give away easily. I like to give or sell to people who I believe will truly “get” what went into the making of the piece.
I was just a little girl in elementary school. I won a poster contest – I think maybe second grade. I have always loved to make things and draw and paint. I was twelve years old when my sister took a correspondence course in art. I remember doing the exercises in her books and duplicating the drawings in pencil. I also remember about the same time looking through Country Living magazines and duplicating the architectural renderings of houses pictured in the magazines. I don’t remember it, but Mama told me that I made a doll for my 3rd grade teacher’s little baby girl, and Mama took me over to her house to deliver it. My teacher mentioned that many, many years later. I have just always, always loved to make things with my hands!
Did you ever think you’d be selling your art, or teaching art?
It has always been my dream. I don’t do it full-time, but I have taught art and sold my art off and on for the past 30 years.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have in explaining what you do to others who don’t find themselves in a creative background or field? Life family/friends/strangers?
The biggest thing is that people who aren’t creative don’t always understand how much of your heart and soul goes into a piece – whether a painting or crocheted piece. It’s an extension of you and it’s valuable. It’s not something you can give away easily. I like to give or sell to people who I believe will truly “get” what went into the making of the piece.
How do you encounter the Lord in your creativity?
I love to journal. I have kept both written and art journals for at least 25 years. I think that art and journaling is a way to worship the Lord for me. It centers me, calms me, and with crochet especially – it is a way to battle anxiety and panic, which I have always struggled with. Crochet has helped me through the grief of losing both my parents and my husband’s parents within the past three years. It has relieved so much anxiety. I absolutely believe it is a gift from God as He knew how very much I would need it! I am so grateful that I learned in 2016.
What do you feel God is calling you to in this season with your creativeness?
Just to worship and love Him and express all the joy that comes from making art and crocheting. I hope that others can feel the JOY! Life is wonderful! God is good! I also think it is time for me to use my spiritual gift and teach art and crochet. I want to put away the self-doubt and the self-sabotage and just trust God to help me do what he created me to do! I have so much inside me that I want to share with others!
Any encouraging words, words of wisdom from what you've learned to help other creatives on their journey to being abundant and thriving artists/creatives/makers?
My biggest problem was self-doubt and self-sabotage, not feeling worthy, FEAR. I finally decided to move forward in faith with the opportunities God gives me. Taking him at His Word – trusting that if teaching is my # 1 spiritual gift (as several spiritual gifts inventories at different times in my life have indicated) and He has given me an opportunity to teach art – then I can trust Him and move forward in faith. We can use our spiritual gifts in our community; it doesn’t have to be inside a church building. So, my encouraging words are (and these words are to myself as well as others) – Believe! And don’t be afraid – Just DO whatever it is you have an opportunity to do creatively. We may not even know how many ways God has used us to touch other people’s lives. We just have to trust that He will be glorified through our faith and creative efforts.
I love to journal. I have kept both written and art journals for at least 25 years. I think that art and journaling is a way to worship the Lord for me. It centers me, calms me, and with crochet especially – it is a way to battle anxiety and panic, which I have always struggled with. Crochet has helped me through the grief of losing both my parents and my husband’s parents within the past three years. It has relieved so much anxiety. I absolutely believe it is a gift from God as He knew how very much I would need it! I am so grateful that I learned in 2016.
What do you feel God is calling you to in this season with your creativeness?
Just to worship and love Him and express all the joy that comes from making art and crocheting. I hope that others can feel the JOY! Life is wonderful! God is good! I also think it is time for me to use my spiritual gift and teach art and crochet. I want to put away the self-doubt and the self-sabotage and just trust God to help me do what he created me to do! I have so much inside me that I want to share with others!
Any encouraging words, words of wisdom from what you've learned to help other creatives on their journey to being abundant and thriving artists/creatives/makers?
My biggest problem was self-doubt and self-sabotage, not feeling worthy, FEAR. I finally decided to move forward in faith with the opportunities God gives me. Taking him at His Word – trusting that if teaching is my # 1 spiritual gift (as several spiritual gifts inventories at different times in my life have indicated) and He has given me an opportunity to teach art – then I can trust Him and move forward in faith. We can use our spiritual gifts in our community; it doesn’t have to be inside a church building. So, my encouraging words are (and these words are to myself as well as others) – Believe! And don’t be afraid – Just DO whatever it is you have an opportunity to do creatively. We may not even know how many ways God has used us to touch other people’s lives. We just have to trust that He will be glorified through our faith and creative efforts.