Artist Debra Ramsay

Debra Ramsay - Artist Statement

As I watch planes fly over Manhattan, hoping for an uneventful passing, and read the newspaper with concern, I am thankful to have art as my refuge. My paintings are a vehicle for ineffable emotions. The work draws the viewer into a quieter space and summons a heightened sense of awareness and sensory acuity.

I combine encaustic paint and eggshell inlay to make reductive, contemplative, non-action paintings where the surface is a primary concern. In my paintings, I create an ideal.

The materials, layers of wax and eggshell inlay, hold subtle qualities. As one moves closer to the work more is revealed. Making these paintings is labor intensive and time consuming. They are built in layers over time. The lengthy process infuses my paintings with energy and intensity.

Made with materials that emphasize touch, the work creates a place to meet the self, tapping a greater memory.

Resume

Education

1991 Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

1986 BA, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY

1981 Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY

Exhibitions

Solo:

2007 Franklin 54 Gallery, New York, NY
2003 Arsenal Gallery, New York, NY
1999 Newport Visual Art Center, Newport, OR
1998 Wild Rose Gallery, Philomath, OR
1997 Linn-Benton Community College, Albany, OR
1996 Pegasus Gallery, Corvallis, OR
1995 Firehouse Gallery, Rouge Community College, Grants Pass, OR
1995 DOT NW Gallery, Portland, OR

Group:

2006 Visual Aids, Sikkema Jenkins & Co., New York, NY
2006 Lascano Gallery, Great Barrington, MA
2005 Incognito, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica, CA
2005 Franklin 54 Gallery, New York, NY
2005 Rochford & Messick Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM
2005 Haddad Lascano Gallery, Great Barrington, MA
2005 Guild Hall Members Exhibition, East Hampton, NY
2005 Sara Nightingale Gallery, Water Mill, NY
2005 Group Show, Hudson Opera House, Hudson, NY
2004 Haddad Lascano Gallery, Great Barrington, MA
2004 Looking In Looking Out, Paul Mellon Arts Center, Wallingford, CT
2004 Abstraction, Graphics Gallery, NY, NY
2004 Group Show, Anthem Gallery, NY, NY
2002 Catcalls, NYC Urban Experience Museum, NY, NY
2001 Visual Aids, Sara Meltzer Gallery, NY, NY
2000 George Waters Gallery, Elmira College, Elmira, NY
2000 Corvallis Arts Center, Corvallis, OR
1998 Sitka Invitational, Portland, OR
1998 Regional Invitational, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
1997 Landscape Invitational, Sunbird Gallery, Bend, OR
1996 16th Annual Northwest Int’l, Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, WA
1995 Of the Nature of Water, Corvallis Arts Center, Corvallis, OR
1994 All Oregon Art Annual, Oregon State Fair, Salem, OR
1994 Love and the Body Politic, Women’s Caucus for Art, Beaverton, OR
1993 Celebrating the Instinctual Self, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
1993 Issues of Color and Gender, Tarlton State University, Stephenville, TX
1992 Depth and Diversity in Recent American Art, Bemus Point, NY
1992 Newport Visual Arts Center, Newport, OR

Awards

1995 Lilla Jewel Award for artistic achievement, McKenzie River Gathering Foundation
1984 First Place, All Oregon Art Annual, OR State Fair, Salem, OR
1992 Mayor’s Choice, Beaverton Arts Commission, Beaverton, OR

Collections

Alliance Capital, New York, NY

North Plains Public Library, North Plains, OR

Queens Hospital Center, Queens, NY

Publications

2007 Ed McCormack, Gallery & Studio Magazine, February/March 2005 Calyx, A journal of Art and Literature by Women, Vol. 22, No.3, Summer
1999 Newport News-Times, The Hand as Icon, June
1997 Donna Tennant, Best of the West, Ancient Connections, Southwest Art, September
1997 Donna Tennant, Best of the West, Cutting-Edge Landscapes, Southwest Art, August
1995 Kathleen Alaks, Wiseman broadens 1st Friday with three abstractionist’s work, Daily Courier, November
1995 Willamette Week, Elements of Life-Water, September

Representation

Lascano Gallery, Great Barrington, MA

Rochford & Messick Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM

Franklin 54, New York, NY



	Debra Ramsay - Artist Statement As I watch planes fly over Manhattan, hoping for an uneventful passing, and read the newspaper with concern, I am thankful to have art as my refuge. My paintings are a vehicle for ineffable emotions. The work draws the viewer into a quieter space and summons a heightened sense of awareness and sensory acuity. I combine encaustic paint and eggshell inlay to make reductive, contemplative, non-action paintings where the surface is a primary concern. In my paintings, I create an ideal. The materials, layers of wax and eggshell inlay, hold subtle qualities. As one moves closer to the work more is revealed. Making these paintings is labor intensive and time consuming. They are built in layers over time. The lengthy process infuses my paintings with energy and intensity. Made with materials that emphasize touch, the work creates a place to meet the self, tapping a greater memory. Resume Education 1991 Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 1986 BA, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY 1981 Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY Exhibitions Solo: 2007 Franklin 54 Gallery, New York, NY 2003 Arsenal Gallery, New York, NY 1999 Newport Visual Art Center, Newport, OR 1998 Wild Rose Gallery, Philomath, OR 1997 Linn-Benton Community College, Albany, OR 1996 Pegasus Gallery, Corvallis, OR 1995 Firehouse Gallery, Rouge Community College, Grants Pass, OR 1995 DOT NW Gallery, Portland, OR Group: 2006 Visual Aids, Sikkema Jenkins & Co., New York, NY 2006 Lascano Gallery, Great Barrington, MA 2005 Incognito, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica, CA 2005 Franklin 54 Gallery, New York, NY 2005 Rochford & Messick Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM 2005 Haddad Lascano Gallery, Great Barrington, MA 2005 Guild Hall Members Exhibition, East Hampton, NY 2005 Sara Nightingale Gallery, Water Mill, NY 2005 Group Show, Hudson Opera House, Hudson, NY 2004 Haddad Lascano Gallery, Great Barrington, MA 2004 Looking In Looking Out, Paul Mellon Arts Center, Wallingford, CT 2004 Abstraction, Graphics Gallery, NY, NY 2004 Group Show, Anthem Gallery, NY, NY 2002 Catcalls, NYC Urban Experience Museum, NY, NY 2001 Visual Aids, Sara Meltzer Gallery, NY, NY 2000 George Waters Gallery, Elmira College, Elmira, NY 2000 Corvallis Arts Center, Corvallis, OR 1998 Sitka Invitational, Portland, OR 1998 Regional Invitational, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 1997 Landscape Invitational, Sunbird Gallery, Bend, OR 1996 16th Annual Northwest Int’l, Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, WA 1995 Of the Nature of Water, Corvallis Arts Center, Corvallis, OR 1994 All Oregon Art Annual, Oregon State Fair, Salem, OR 1994 Love and the Body Politic, Women’s Caucus for Art, Beaverton, OR 1993 Celebrating the Instinctual Self, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 1993 Issues of Color and Gender, Tarlton State University, Stephenville, TX 1992 Depth and Diversity in Recent American Art, Bemus Point, NY 1992 Newport Visual Arts Center, Newport, OR Awards 1995 Lilla Jewel Award for artistic achievement, McKenzie River Gathering Foundation 1984 First Place, All Oregon Art Annual, OR State Fair, Salem, OR 1992 Mayor’s Choice, Beaverton Arts Commission, Beaverton, OR Collections Alliance Capital, New York, NY North Plains Public Library, North Plains, OR Queens Hospital Center, Queens, NY Publications 2007 Ed McCormack, Gallery & Studio Magazine, February/March 2005 Calyx, A journal of Art and Literature by Women, Vol. 22, No.3, Summer 1999 Newport News-Times, The Hand as Icon, June 1997 Donna Tennant, Best of the West, Ancient Connections, Southwest Art, September 1997 Donna Tennant, Best of the West, Cutting-Edge Landscapes, Southwest Art, August 1995 Kathleen Alaks, Wiseman broadens 1st Friday with three abstractionist’s work, Daily Courier, November 1995 Willamette Week, Elements of Life-Water, September Representation Lascano Gallery, Great Barrington, MA Rochford & Messick Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM Franklin 54, New York, NY





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