Debora Stewart

"My ultimate goal as an artist is to create richly textured abstract pastels with beauty and depth that reflect the mystery and spirit of the natural world. "

Debora L. Stewart is inspired by creating work with a gestural, expressive line and intuitive color choice. Her work is not an observational record but contains elements of an emotional experience in nature. She has a very strong background in drawing which results in unique abstracts that contain beauty and depth. She manipulates the pastel medium and achieves work that is rich and dramatic.

Stewart begins her paintings with an underpainting of oil or watercolors on a sanded surface. She works multiple layers of soft pastels on this surface. She often blends with her fingers while working. The completed works are affixed to a board archivally. She uses no fixative as she does not want to diminish the richness of the works.

Debora L. Stewart received a B.A. in Art Education from the University of Iowa and an M.S.Ed in Counseling from Western Illinois University. In 2007 she attended the Split Rock Arts Program in Minneapolis, Minnesota and studied Intuitive Drawing with artist Clive King. She credits this experience with giving her the confidence to pursue her abstract works. Debora L. Stewart is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America.