By Bella Erakko
“In sixth grade,” Debra remembers, “I wanted to be twenty million things—veterinarian, race car driver, helicopter pilot…” Perhaps growing up in rural America gave her plenty of time to dream, and drawing became her outlet. Her father left the military and west coast to help her grandfather run the Missouri farm when she was two. Today, married to a rancher with several hundred cattle, Debra finds never-ending fascination with the way sunlight infuses radiance into nature. She looks out her window or sits on the porch painting the scenes that have always drawn her: a mother cow with its calf (“cows are such good mothers,” she enthuses), a farm pond reflecting nearby out-buildings, a beloved dog. Light infuses all of her art. But along with rural scenes, she enjoys capturing people—her husband closing a farm gate, a child playing with crayons. In a way, she brought her need for twenty million things into her life—through her palette.
An opening reception will be held on Saturday, September 11 from 4 until 7:00.
