This month we’re featuring Deb Furey for the Capitol Hill Art League’s Mind of the Artist feature. Read their story and check out their beautiful artwork below. Find Deb Furey at https://deborahfurey.wixsite.com/debfureyart.

I wish I could say that there is some intentional meaning in these pieces however, in much of my work, I am assembling and putting images together in ways that feel right as I go through the process. It is an experience of flow where I am simply reacting to colors, images how they resonate with what is happening in [my] life. None of this is “on purpose” – for me; the most effective work emerges when I don’t think but rather respond. The same goes for choice of color, transparency and texture. I am very fascinated by the random things that occur in the photography/painting/collage process that I can then react to.

A number of these pieces are grounded in photos that I take of found objects that I assemble. I rarely manipulate the photos digitally – with the exception of changing light and contrast (overall) – and then have them printed in large format. I then collage, paint, write etc. into them with acrylic ultimately using oil as last layers. I continue to paint “traditionally’ as well – portraits and landscapes on occasion. I am currently working on paintings that include super-realistic foundations (e.g., like photos) that I then collage in to.  

I have been painting since I was a child, studied intensively in high school at summer programs to develop drawing and painting schools and then started at Mass College of Art as a freshman. I quickly found that, while I would continue to paint/work regardless, I wanted to learn more about the world. I changed to a liberal arts education, and at the same time got involved in computer animation and ultimately business strategy consulting. Throughout the years I have painted between kids and work and have started, over the past 2 years, to paint intensively again. I am honored to be part of CHAW and other arts organizations to show work and to play. For more information, please visit https://deborahfurey.wixsite.com/debfureyart.