Debra Denise Purcell

I approach the canvas each time with a complete and simple image of the forms and theme for my painting. I work mostly in acrylic but do sometimes use watercolors and oils. No matter what is going on in my life at the beginning of a painting, I am motivated by a spiritual joy that I hope to convey in each piece. I try to share the window that contains my vision of the world. All my paintings attempt to do this. Each time that I begin a painting, I watch my image change as the work interacts with art itself. A language has emerged for me and I enjoy a playful dialog with each attempt. The discipline of the craft is met with the interactive joy of the ‘now-ness’ of each piece. Over the last few years, I have learned a new color alphabet inspired by the experience of creating. I found images for water, trees, and flowers that have repeated themselves for me and appear in my work like archetypes of the essence of these things.
I see color as the soul of the painting and the form as the body that carries the soul to life. I find this all spiritual. The color and forms take their own direction like a little girl playing dress up with her mother’s clothing. It is very important to me to allow the color and form to do this. My design and discipline is to make it work by being true to the image I am trying to convey.
Over the past two years, I have received several International, as well as, National awards. November 2014, my painting, “Regatta Town,” was included in the books authored by the award winning Lorena Kloosterboer, “Painting in Acrylics: The Indispensable Guide,” and “Complete Guide to Painting in Acrylics,” respectively, published by Quatro Publishing, London, England.

“Art speaks to us from beyond the limits of language.” ~ Anonymous