Inspiration
‘Growing up on Cape Cod, and returning here to live, has influenced me greatly—its dynamic and ethereal qualities are ever-present elements in my work. Drawn to the unpredictability of this ever-changing landscape, My work explores how change impacts what is seen and felt. Time, weather, and tides continuously transform my environment and my experiences in it—its shifting nature is always a source of inspiration.’
-Deborah Howard
“Don't you think people are formed by the landscape they grow up in?” — Joan Didion
Process
Black-and-white line drawings, notes on color, thoughts, and ideas are recorded into sketchbooks—they, along with memories, become the departure point for each painting. Marks, color, and brushstrokes are built up in layers, sanded away to obscure or reveal the history beneath—working intuitively until a final layer of suggested imagery emerges.
By observing, utilizing, or disregarding details of my environment, I seek to transcend the traditional, pastoral landscape into one that evokes feeling.
-Deborah Howard
About
Deborah Howard graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in painting from the University of Massachusetts and continued her studies at the Massachusetts College of Art graduate program in Boston. She has exhibited in New York and Boston and is currently represented by:
The Gallery on Federal
2 Federal Street
Newburyport, MA
The Gallery on Federal
Savage Godfrey Gallery
693 Main Street
Norwell, MA
For more information about my inspiration and painting process, please listen to the recent podcast below:
The Impermanence of Art with Deborah Howard and Susan Blood
The Creative Exchange Podcast is a series of elevated conversations with Cape Cod creatives brought to you by the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod.
In this conversation with visual artist Deborah Howard and writer Susan Blood, we discuss wiping the canvas clean and starting over, the impermanence of art, the path of least resistance, and adapting your practice.
39 min.