I love color and I love the water medias of watercolor and acrylic. Watercolor, in particular, holds a fascination for me. I love how the colors can be pushed around the paper and when allowed to mingle together create wonderful effects as only watercolor can do.
My watercolor box paint box is like a small box of jewels that have the potential to produce a visual and emotional experience of a moment in time. Just add water! With the use of color and bold brush strokes I wish to capture the attention and curiosity of the viewer and transport them into the painting whether it be through the artfully painted soulful eye of a horse or dog or by eliciting a feeling of being in the forest experiencing a sublime moment. I want the eye to linger and explore the gestures, brushstrokes and colors used to create a piece that when brought together culminate in producing what I visualized in my mind’s eye.
I have progressed from producing hyper realistic artwork to where I am now- developing a more painterly, confident approach to a subject that captures the mood and emotion of the moment.
Enjoy~
Epona -Pan-Celtic) [ey-PONE-ah, AY-paw-nah or Ay-PAWN-nuh] "Divine Horse"; "The Great Mare"; Goddess of horses; Mother Goddess. Fertility, maternity, protectress of horses and dogs, prosperity, dogs, healing, springs, crops.
Artist Bio
Deborah O’Sullivan is a self taught artist who works out of her Studio in Pawling, New York. Working in the water medias of watercolor and acrylic her subjects range from horses to dogs to landscapes. Her work can be found in private collections world-wide.
The artist utilizes her 30+ years of experience in the horse industry in creating equine art that appeals not only to the collector but to the horseperson. Her years of dedicated work as a trainer/rider and, always, student of the horse has given her an extensive working knowledge of rider and equine biomechanics, movement, behavior and anatomy. Her specialty as a trainer is in rider and horse biomechanics while utilizing classical dressage (no rolkur spoken here- hyperflexion of the neck) to produce thinking horse people.
Deborah's dog knowledge is wide and varied as well. She has spent many, many years devoted to her studies in canine holistic nutrition and health, canine movement and biomechanics, genetics and performance. She was a breeder of Champion Golden Retrievers and has lifelong experience as a trainer/handler and has titled various other breeds of dogs in performance venues. She has a deep love and passion for Border Collies. All of this experience comes together to produce dog and horse art that not only comes from the heart but connects to the viewer in a soulful and emotional level.
Exhibits and Venues
In 2007 two of Deborah’s watercolor paintings The Mighty Quinn and Tire! were juried into the prestigious Art Show at the Dog Show.
2008 was a busy year for Deborah. She was invited to participate in La Cadeau du Cheval (The Horse Gift) Mural. This is a collaborative effort involving artists from around the world producing a mural that stands three stories tall. With much pomp and circumstance the unveiling was September 3, 2008 at the “The Masters” Horse Show at Spruce Meadows in Alberta, Canada. The mural is currently on a world wide tour. Deborah painted panel 156. For more information go towww.muralmosaic.com .
The spring of 2008 found Deborah’s work in a solo exhibition of her canine artwork at the Bakla Java Café in Pawling, N.Y. Summertime it was back to the horses when she was invited to exhibit her work at the invitation only HITS (Horse Show in the Sun) Equine Art Gala and Exhibitor Mixer in Saugerties, NY. This was followed up with a fall solo exhibit of her equine work at the Bakla Java Café in Pawling, N.Y.
The past year (2009) has had some exciting events. Deborah was a participating artist in the Art East, Spring Slide Slam in Pawling, New York. This is an event where each artist has 10 minutes to discuss their art as slides of their artwork are projected on a screen. In April 2009 she was an exhibiting artist at The Maplebrook School, Amenia, New York. The exhibition titled Over Hill and Dale had a Kentucky Derby themed reception with artwork depicting equine subjects. This show was a huge fund raising success for the school. Deborah welcomed several new collectors at this wonderful show.
Two paintings, Collection and A Good Scratch have been accepted as cover art for The Chronicle of the Horse magazine.
Currently her work is, once again, being exhibited in a solo show at the Bakla Java Café, Pawling New York. October 2009 will find Deborah joining in the Art East Fall Slide Slam, Pawling, New York.
Deborah has donated art to benefit such causes as Excellor Farm, Sweet Border Collie Rescue (a particular favorite rescue) in Morris,NY and Special Needs Dobermans through the Doberman Pinscher Club of America.
Her work is available as prints and originals. Commission requests will be considered on a limited basis. She is a member of the Equine Art Guild, Canine Art Guild, League of Animal Artists, P.A.C.E- Pawling Arts, Commerce & Education and the United States Dressage Federation.
