Today we’d like to introduce you to Debra Joyce Dawson.
Hi Debra Joyce, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I attribute my early interests in art to my Mother who drew with my sister and me some evenings before we went to bed; to the John Gnagy’s 1950’s TV show and his drawing set both named “Learn to Draw”; and, to Santa Clause, who brought me a complete professional oil painting kit that I circled in the Sears catalog. It came in a sturdy wooden case with a leather handle, and included a palette, 24 tubes of oil paint, 5 brushes, and bottles of linseed oil, medium, and vanish. I also received 3 painting panels. Without any instruction, I made my first oil painting that day at age 11. I visited the Woolworth’s 5 & Dime when I collected enough allowance to buy a new instruction books, and kept learning more about drawing various subjects. When I found small color photos of landscapes in magazine ads I would copy them. I still have my first 5 oil paintings, which I found in my parents attic.
In school, I studied the violin, but continued working on art projects at home. This was the case until I graduated from high school. I married young, and had two children. When my marriage ended in divorce, I went to work in a music store, got recruited to play the fiddle in a country rock band, and later started to study at Anne Arundel Community College. I followed the normal course of academics as a new student, and was usually the oldest one on my class. I fell in love with writing and history. I took every drawing course that was offered before moving on to oil and watercolor painting and calligraphy. It was a thrill when my drawing teacher built a small etching studio, and I started making intaglio prints. I stayed at the college studying part time for 7 years and left without a degree because I was more interested in art than taking those last credits I needed in psychology, math, and physics.
I started a new job at a local Pennysaver, and began singing and playing my violin in the country rock band, which I eventually left to sing in a piano bar in a 50’s style steakhouse. One night, I met the man who became my husband and constant source of support. His job took him on the road quite a bit, and my easel and I moved to NJ, and went on the road with him as much as possible. It was at this point that art became my focus. I started to enter local exhibitions, but mostly I worked on my own. Long story short, we did a lot of traveling, and eventually his job took us to Ohio, where I got a job typesetting and enrolled in CCAD on a scholarship.
I studied drawing with James Moore, landscape painting with Ernie Viveiros, and painting, mostly models, with Neil Riley. The training was in the academic tradition in those days and was very good. I joined the Westerville Art League and the Ohio Art League and entered the Ohio State Fair and galleries contacted me about my work. One of my figure paintings was published in the Columbus Dispatch. It was around this time that I met Sharon Weiss at an exhibition in the Short North, and her gallery represents my work to this day.
In 2000, a man named Richard Canfield contacted me to see if I was interested in working on The Paint Ohio Project, a two year commitment involving 6 local artists to paint all of Ohio’s 88 counties. We divided up Ohio’s 88 counties and produced a history related work from each county. I had 16 counties to paint. All the work was done on site, en plein air. All 88 works were exhibited at the Ohio Historical Society for a gala event, before splitting up into smaller regional exhibitions. The final phase was an auction of all the works, and the production of a 4-color book entitled “The Land We Call Ohio”. Out of this project, grew the Ohio Plein Air Society, a statewide non-profit organization devoted to plein air painting, which has members from all corners of Ohio. www.ohiopleinairsociety.com
I began exhibiting with Sharon Weiss Gallery, and have had 9 solo exhibitions. I became a member of Oil Painters of America in 2004. I received Signature status in American Impressionist Society in 2014, and later joined National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society. I have works included in the Collection of the Ohio Supreme Court, Columbus Museum of Art, Richmond Museum of Art, IN, and in private collections around the US, Caribbean, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and have a work in the private collection of Arnold Schwazenegger.
I believe what has worked best for me is saying “yes” when opportunity knocks, even if I wasn’t always sure that I could do what was asked of me, that built self-confidence. I suggest having a basic Powerpoint presentation ready to go, which you can tweak in different directions. In the end, I love people, and enjoy sharing my experiences and any knowledge that I have.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I would say that over the years there were a series of events already described that seemed to propel me forward. I think that it’s been important to be involved in a community of artists. As President of Ohio Plein Air Society, I’ve met a lot of people in the world of art. Most interesting to me was talking to people in the press, magazine writers, curators, gallery and museum directors, and learning more about art from their points of view. It gave me an insight into how that system works.
As for struggles, the main struggle is producing work that pleases me. Sometimes it takes distance from a work to know if it has worth, other times you just know. Another struggle is learning when to back away from group commitments to make time for my own work.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am primarily known as an artist working in oils who creates plein air landscapes. I love painting outdoors in natural light. Nothing beats that for me. Most of those works are small for 6×8″ up to 12 x16″, with the rare occasion of taking a larger panel outdoors and working on it over time during the same light and weather conditions.
But, people in great clothes or who have interesting hair are what I really love painting. So, within that genre of plein air work, I have a collection of plein air works that I call my “27 dresses series”. That series began one day on High Street in Columbus when I failed miserably at painting buildings. I walked south on High, and found a wedding dress shop with magnificent windows filled with ‘magic’. I just happened to have a 6 x 12″ panel in my backpack, which was the perfect ratio for that scene. The painting sparked a series which was featured in my solo exhibition at Sharon Weiss Gallery that year. There were also paintings of people wearing very cool clothing, along with landscapes. At that time, no one was painting anything like it. The problem now is that shops do very little in the way of dressing their windows. But I am always looking.
I am fascinated with the shapes of old farmhouses and barns. I live in Pataskala, and it’s alarming how quickly these old gems are disappearing.
I am also known for my plein air paintings from Europe, England, Ireland and France mostly. I never travel overseas without my oils and watercolors. I have also had the pleasure of traveling 3 times to paint in India and Bhutan, for a total of 18 weeks. These countries are fascinating and colorful, and are great fodder for artists.
I was known at a certain point for my palette knife paintings. Now I paint with a brush and/or a palette knife. I believe that what sets me apart from others is my subject matter, my use of color, and my observation skills.
What matters most to you? Why?
In terms of art, what matters is to keep learning and moving forward. Good drawing is important to me. I could retire from painting and be happy spending the rest of my days drawing, which is where I started. I always carry a sketchbook, a bottle of shellac ink, a viol of water, paint brushes, a Bic retractable lead pencil, and a watercolor set, in my purse.
At this point in my life, I am starting to draw back from my involvement in organizations to focus more intently on my own work. I have a list of works that I would like to complete, more ambitious works hopefully for exhibition in national organizations.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.debrajoycedawson.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debrajoycedawson/
