Artist Statement:

Art is meant to bring forth an emotional response. With my mosaics I want to duplicate the sensation one feels seeing a beautiful sunset, that smell of a pine forest or the moment you hear a sound and realize that a waterfall on the trail up ahead. These natural wonders often inspire my mosaic artwork.

Each mosaic is an artistic inspiration and no two are alike in the amount of time it takes to create. Although size and detail of design often dictate but so does “life” influence my creative process. I like to say I paint with glass, which has its own requirements and cautions when handling a material such as glass. Hundreds of hours can go into creating each mosaic, some are a struggle and others seem to just build themselves.

A mosaic artist creates the feeling of a subject through choice of materials, colors and elements. My work is a combination of modern and ancient materials, still using glass, stone, hammer and hardi (chisel). I am dedicated to preserving the tradition of mosaic art, along with the techniques and materials used in the past. One must study and remember the past to be informed for the future.

Artist Bio:

Debra was born, raised and currently lives in the upper Midwest. She has a BFA in Studio Art with a painting emphasis from UW-Stout. Although she has used many mediums for her creative process, her favorite is glass. She has studied with master mosaicists world-wide. Her mosaic art is featured in multiple local, regional and national exhibitions, and is in several permanent collections, including Stanford University, Penn State, Health Partners, Mayo Health System and Marshfield Clinic. Other accomplishments include, past recipient of a SEMAC Grant, recently a Creative Support for Individuals Grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board and awarded an artist residency in Ireland. She continues to expand her knowledge and experience with the art of mosaic.