Contact Information:

Website:  www.debrablair.com

Phone:  505-608-4426  

I see art making and viewing as thoughtful, problem solving processes that facilitate an unspoken dialog between the artist and the viewer.  The personal choices I make as an artist (color, content, materials, etc.) will reflect my point of view.  What is presented is not intended to be a conclusion, but rather part of an ongoing exploration of an idea.  Each viewer will bring their own perspective to the work and will take away a message from me as an artist which grows from that perspective.  For me, the visual communication of an idea is exciting and I like the fact that a viewer may interpret the artwork in a way I had not intended.

My art making process is generally spontaneous where the decision making and problem solving are often immediate.  I work with several types of media.  The one I select may have to do with the subject matter or intent of the piece, but may simply be what is most appealing at the moment.  When I work with encaustic (pigment in a medium of melted beeswax) I enjoy a sensory experience of warmth and the aroma of honey.  The flow of the melted wax is relaxing and the process of working with hot wax drives the visual outcome of the work.  For me this is a freeing and spontaneous experience.  Conversely, processes such as painting, drawing and printmaking are more deliberate and the outcome is more likely to reflect a specific intention for the work.  I also work with pinhole photography, paint, mixed media, and sculptural assemblage.  Each medium has a different aesthetic and provides a different intellectual experience.  I find that my use of a variety of media helps keep the art making experience fresh and lively.