The heart is a symbolic shape that has been so ubiquitous in culture for so long – how many thousands do we see in the month of February? – Yet, despite such saturation, we are never exhausted by it. Perhaps is it is simply a measure of how deeply we crave love, and never feel we have enough. Deb Ogburn unashamedly brings the form to the forefront in her work.
“The GateKeeper” by Deb Ogburn, Mixed Media on gallery profile canvas, 12x12in , 2017, $75
“My most recent body of work is a series inspired by my therapeutic work with veteran clients and the hearts we painted for graduates of HUD-VASH, a program striving to end the cycle of chronic homelessness. I used acrylic and mixed media on gallery profile stretched canvas, depicting various renditions of the heart symbol. In addition, I sometimes use modeling paste, wax finishes, beading and ephemera. I work intuitively, following my attractors in the moment. My process is reflective of the emotional landscape of the human spirit as we encounter life. Multiple layers of paint add complexity and depth to the pieces. This body of work is largely about resilience. These pieces have helped me release the emotional residue of the therapeutic work I do daily with my clients. It has been a part of my self-care to work through encounters with various media and techniques, and to find a resting place for each of these hearts.”
“Prior to my heart series, I explored a series of images incorporating mono prints on and with preserved autumn leaves, in an inquiry about the beauty of aging. Earlier works were acrylic paintings on paper, oil pastel and Prismacolor drawings, encaustic on wood and digital manipulations of photographs, largely in an exploration of my nightly dreamscapes.”
“An Expressive Arts Therapist / Coach by profession, I am an explorer of multi-modal processes and media, including visual arts, dance, music, poetry and drama. I’ve found that “mistakes” are often “happy accidents” and I trust that I can make something beautiful out of my learning—a crucial tenet that I impress upon my clients. My coaching informs my art and my art informs my coaching.”
“I’m currently exploring texture as under painting, enjoying the richness of it beneath line and translucent layers of interference color defining forms found in nature. This process is relevant to my own journey as I employ transparency in my work as a coach. Our personal experience is what gives us "texture" and makes us unique.”
“Touched” by Deb Ogburn, Mixed Media on gallery profile canvas, 12x12in 2017, $65
Art Exhibitions / Performance
La Jolla Art Association, Juried Exhibition, (photography/digital art), La Jolla, CA
LifeStage, Art Exhibition (mixed media), Sushi Performance & Visual Art, San Diego
Brain Storms / Soul Storms, Juried Art Exhibition, Sushi Performance & Visual Art, San Diego, CA
Whose Dream is This Anyway? (Writer / Director) Performance & Visual Art Exhibit, Expressive Arts Institute, San Diego, CA
The Art of Dreaming, Solo Art Exhibition (photography, painting, mixed media), Expressive Arts Institute, San Diego, CA
Loose Threads from the Tapestry, (performance art), Sushi Performance & Visual Art, San Diego, CA
Gestation, Solo Art Exhibition (photography, painting, mixed media), Expressive Arts Institute, San Diego, CA
Association for the Study of Dreams, National Juried Exhibition (drawing, mixed media), Washington, D.C.
Deb Ogburn is participating in the 2018 Open Studio Weekend, sponsored by Louisville Visual Art and University of Louisville’s Hite Art Institute. His studio, located in the Germantown neighborhood, will be open the weekend of November 3 and 4. Tickets for Open Studio Weekend will go on sale October 16. Click here for more information.
Education: BS Design, 1980, University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture and Art
Professional Diploma Expressive Arts Therapy, 2002, Expressive Arts Institute San Diego
MA Expressive Arts Therapy, Coaching and Consulting, 2004, European Graduate School, Saas Fee, Switzerland
Website: Arts4Evolution.com
https://www.pinterest.com/502atimeforart/dlogburn-art/
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“Autumn Prelude” by Deb Ogburn, Acrylic on paper, 36x24in, 2018, $145
“Beguiled” by Deb Ogburn, Mixed Media on gallery profile canvas, 12x12in, 2017, $75
Written by Keith Waits. Entire contents copyright © 2018 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved. In addition to his work at the LVA, Keith is also the Managing Editor of a website, Arts-Louisville.com, which covers local visual arts, theatre, and music in Louisville.
