Local, Award-Winning Artist, Deborah Lightfield, Showcased at Butterfield Garage Art Gallery for September

Deborah Lightfield is widely celebrated for her captivating artworks that intricately blend realism with elements of surrealism, inviting viewers into enchanting worlds of imagination and introspection. Her mastery of light, color, and texture imbues her pieces with a transcendent quality that resonates deeply with audiences. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts at James Madison University in Virginia before pursuing a career as a jewelry designer, creator, and art teacher. Since settling in Ponte Vedra, Florida, Deborah has participated in various juried art shows in Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra, and Saint Augustine. She has won awards from the St. Augustine Art Association and the Art Center in Jacksonville. She is an outstanding member of the Butterfield Gallery Art Gallery and the Professional Artists of St. Augustine (PAStA) Fine Art Gallery.

Deborah’s Ocean Wash technique was a process she began years ago and has implemented in her body of artwork. She has elevated the process of creating fine archival artwork. With the ocean as her source of inspiration and influence, Deborah uses the natural processes of ocean waves to create random patterns on her watercolor paper or canvas. The Ocean Wash process may take several days to dry, after which excess sand is swept away from the resulting complex shapes and colors; she allows her inspiration to move her by including additional painting techniques. Over the years, she has approached the process with various applications, from pre-painting the canvas or paper surfaces before the Ocean Wash to adding modeling compounds to the surface to vary the outcomes. The Ocean Wash technique is a constantly evolving process that continues to invigorate Deborah’s art processes.

“I allow the natural elements of ocean waves, sand, and wind to direct where the painting will go,” Deborah elaborated. “Once the paint is placed on the wet canvas, I can start to visualize where the painting is taking me. It’s a process I love because it is purely contemplative and expressive while allowing the child in me to play.”

Deborah Lightfield demonstrated her Ocean Wash technique on First Coast News.