Debbie was born in Stillwater Oklahoma in 1955. Her family moved to Texas in 1968. She now resides in Cypress, Texas.

She graduated summa cum laude in the spring of 2004 from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a B.F.A. (concentration in painting). She has studied landscape, still life, and figure with contemporary masters Dalhart Windberg, Robert A. Johnson, Scott Burdick and Jeff Legg. She has attended workshops in bird photography with nationally acclaimed wildlife photographers Jim Nieger and Arthur Morris.

She is an associate member of the Oil Painters of America, associate member of the Society of Animal Artists and a member of the International Guild of Realism.

Solo Exhibitions

“Avian Splendor” Port A Gallery, Port Aransas, Texas. April 25 – May 30, 2009.

“World of Birds” Bismarck Studios, San Antonio, Texas. October 1-30, 2008.

“New Perspective,” Kellum Markey Gallery, San Antonio, Texas. February 2005.

“Luring” Coastal Inspirations, Noel McArdle Gallery, Corpus Christi, Texas.  September 2004.

Selected Group Exhibitions

“Reality Check” International Guild of Realism Show, Trudy Labell Fine Art, Naples, Florida. February 2008.

“Summer Group Show,” Buchanan Gallery, Galveston, Texas.  July 14 - August 18, 2007.

“Los San Antonians, Bismarck Studios, San Antonio, Texas. December 2004.

Selected Juried Exhibitions

“Small Works – Big Impressions,” Society of Animal Arists, The Wildlife Experience, Parker, Colorado. November 7, 2009  – January 3, 2010.

“Shorelines 2009,” National Juried Exhibition for Excellence in Coastal Art, Rockport Center for the Arts, Rockport, Texas. October 14 – November 21, 2009.

“American Women Artists National Juried Competition,” South Street Art Gallery, Easton Maryland. October 9 – November 8,  2009. Jurors: Nancy Tankersley and AWA Master Signature Artist Cary Ennis.

49^th “Art & the Animal,” Society of Animal Artists, Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure, Salina, Kansas. September 5 – November 1, 2009.

“18^th Annual National Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils,” Oil Painters of America, Sage Creek Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico. May 1 – 31, 2009. Juror: Kevin Macpherson

“2008 Western Regional Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils” Oil Painters of America, Devin Galleries Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. September 12 - October 11, 2008. Juror: Steven Lang.

“17th National Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils,” Oil Painters of America, Dana Gallery, Missoula, Montana. May 2 – June 14, 2008. Juror: Ramon Kelley.

“Salon International 2008,” Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, Texas.  April 12 – May 2, 2008.  Jurors: Jim Janes & Mark Smith, Greenhouse Gallery, Judge George Hallmark.

“The International Guild of Realism’s Third Annual Juried Exhibition,” Scottsdale, Arizona. January 2008.

“Leading Masters of Contemporary Realism,” Winstanley-Roark Fine Arts, Dennis, Massachusetts. July 24 - August 5, 2007.

“The 16th Annual National Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils,” Oil Painters of America, Whistle Pik Galleries, Fredericksburg, Texas. May 11 - June 9, 2007. Juror: Quang Ho – OPAM.

“Best of American Realism,” Winstanley-Roark Fine Arts, Dennis, Massachusetts. July 2006.

“Salon International 2006,” Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, Texas. May 20 - June 16, 2006. Juror: Alexander Volkov.

“Arts International 2005,” International Museum of Art, El Paso, Texas.  October 8 - 23, 2005, Jurors: Joy Miller - Exhibitions Curator, Las Cruces Museum of Fine Art, New Mexico, Florence Schwein - Director, Centennial Museum, University of Texas at El Paso.

“2005 Central Regional Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils” Oil Painters of America, Snowfire Gallery, Estes Park Colorado. October 1 - 31, 2005. Juror: Quang Ho OPAM.

“20th Annual Conservatory Art Classic,” Meridian Civic Center, Meridian, Texas. September 10 - 11, 2005. Juror: Tony Eubanks.

“The 14th Annual National Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils,” Oil Painters of America, Hilligoss Gallery, Chicago, Illinois. May 6 - June 19, 2005. Juror: Dan Gerhartz.

“1st Annual International Guild of Realism Juried Exhibition,” Pan American Art Gallery, Dallas Texas. March 11 - April 23, 2005.

“Artists of Northwest Arkansas 10th Annual Fall Regional Art Exhibition,” Springdale, Arkansas. January 6, 2005. Juror: Charles Harrington - American Watercolor Society and National Acrylic Painters Association.

“19th Annual Conservatory Art Classic,” Clifton, Texas. September 11 – 19, 2005. Juror: Bruce Greene - Cowboy Artists of America.

“Fish Follies,” Cordova Historical Museum, Cordova, Alaska. August 30 - October 31, 2004. Juror: Rie Munoz.

“69th Annual National Exhibition” Cooperstown, New York. July 17 - August 20, 2004. Jurors: Henry Drexler and Daniel Tennant.

“Salon International 2004, International Museum of Contemporary Masters,” Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, Texas. May 2004. Juror: Pino Dangelico.

“The 31st Annual Juried Competition,” Masur Museum of Art, Monroe, Louisiana. March 2004. Juror: Dr. Randall Griffey - University of Missouri at Kansas City.

“Midwest Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils,” Oil Painters of America, Hilligoss Gallery, Chicago, Illinois. December 2003. Juror: Robert Hoffman – OPA.

“Arts International 2004,” New Mexico, International Museum of Art, El Paso, Texas.

October 9 - 27, 2004.  Jurors: Andra Karnes - Curator, The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Texas and Ellen Landis - Senior Curator of Art, The Albuquerque Museum.

Awards:

“International Artist Magazine Award of Excellence,” “The 14th Annual National Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils, Oil Painters of America,” Hilligoss Gallery, Chicago Illinois. 2005

“The Naima and Joseph Abraham Memorial Award, Second Place Painting,” “Arts International 2004,” El Paso, Texas. 2004

Honorable Mention, “Salon International 2004, International Museum of Contemporary Masters,” Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, Texas. 2004

Collections:

Dr. Philips Hospital, Orlando, Florida

Memorial Hermann TIRR, Houston, Texas

Memorial Hermann Hospital – Sugar Land, Sugar Land, Texas

Memorial Hermann Heart and Vascular Institute, Houston, Texas

Memorial Hermann Ambulatory Care Center, Houston, Texas

Thibodaux Regional Medical, Thibodaux, Louisiana

Holmes Regional Medical, Melbourne, Florida

Gallery Representation

Bismarck Studios, 930 Proton, #202, San Antonio, Texas 78258

Port A Gallery, 345 Alister, Suite B, Port Aransas, Texas 78373

Artist Statement

My work is created with a devotion to traditional realism using glazes and wet into wet techniques. I look for subjects in nature and the environment - not for what they are or represent, but for their own particular properties of texture, transparency, reflection, and color. I find these properties especially prevalent in my studies of birds.  My intense passion for birds entails more than just casual observation.  It has grown from initially visiting zoos and photographing endangered species for reference photos to now researching and traveling along their migration routes to capture their behavior during spring and fall migration, as well as being actively involved in wildlife conservation.  It is my sincere desire that, when looking at my work, the viewer experiences the wonderment of the birds in their natural habitat.