ABOUT THE ARTIST
Deborah was born in the North West of England in 1965 where she studied Art and Design. She later co-founded Network 3, an agency for young illustrators in Liverpool. Her work has been widely exhibited in her homeland and the South West of America. Her collection of the world’s children entitled “Earth Angels” first exhibited in the Shumei Hall Gallery Pasadena in 1997. This was brought about with the help of Pauline Lomas, Deborah’s older sister, who was one of the first Western members of Shumei. Deborah works full time as a small business owner in Chester, England. The shop, “Rainforest”, has been part of her life for thirty years and is another aspect of her commitment to environmentalism and building community.
MESSAGE FROM DEBORAH
“While I breathe, I hope.”
This show is a visual conversation from my heart to yours. The paintings have been created over the past thirty years out of love and respect for the many diverse cultures that make up the global tapestry of indigenous peoples.
As a young art student, my protest art was lush green forests with borders of burning deforestation. One day, as I was painting, the face of an Amazon Indian emerged on to the pastel paper. I named this “No Place Like Home”. This was a revelation and a defining moment in my journey as an artist. I realised that painting scenes of destruction was not going to inspire anyone to change the world and instead I focused on the faces of children, their innocence, purity and hope.
I always begin with the eyes, for I believe that when you gaze into the eyes of another, you ultimately see yourself. The children’s expressions are sometimes gentle and playful, sometimes guarded or defiant, but always with a question behind their gaze. They ask us how our choices and actions affect others. They ask us to open our hearts. The heart must remain open for the possibility of love to survive and our mission is to keep our hearts open amidst turbulent times.
If we can calm our minds and allow ourselves to be open to the present moment then art can be transformative. It is my hope that if you can absorb these colours into your being then your own colours will shine through and you will feel part of the rainbow, a special piece in the colourful mosaic of life.. Then, maybe your heart will expand just a little more, because if we put love at the heart of all our actions we will leave a healthier, happier planet for our children and future generations.
This is my visual call to action. This is what I paint for. This is what I hope for.
“We are all related.”
I recently had the honour of spending time with some of the remarkable women who formed the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers. One of their collective messages is “We are all related”. These tribal elders understand and revere the sacred threads of family, community and connection to Mother Earth. We are all strands of equal importance in the web of life. Something awakened deep within me, an instant heart connection, a new direction. I feel the time is nearing when the wisdom of the elders will come through and join the children in my collection. I hope that they may also make their way to Shumei’s place of light when the time is right.