Conversations with Debbi Green

Today we’d like to introduce you to Debbi Green.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Both of my parents were very talented in such different ways I consider both their vocations as art. Their attitude about wanting something enough to be brave and disciplined, I could do anything. I watched an artist paint a likeness of my mother, I was about seven years old. When he was finished, I said “That doesn’t look anything like her.” The artist said, “As an artist, I can see her any way I want.” That was the beginning of my freedom to make own choices about everything. My direction was not a clear straight road by any means. I knew I wanted to be an artist/designer. A short stint as a customer and designer in the film industry. (Not as glamorous as one would think!) A long and fabulous career designing furniture and hand painting children’s furniture. The 1991 earthquake demolished my warehouse and everything inside. So I then went back to fashion design. With a friend, who exported used clothing, we started a women’s line of upcycled/vintage clothing. Suddenly (ha) I turned 50 and I knew there was more inside me. I was going to be a professional artist! I studied with artists I admired. I practiced and explored (I am still exploring) and painted every day. I was accepted into a gallery within my first year. That is when I really got an education. I love how it changed my life. I demand more of myself. I work harder, it is my passion and meditation and joy.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not a smooth road. I was suddenly thrown into the public eye and was not experienced enough to have the self-confidence an artist needs, to stand in front of my painting and have someone say, “I could do that” or “Why on earth would you use that color?” To get more exposure, I entered ‘Juried Shows’. Sometimes I got in and most times I didn’t. I received a few ribbons or I would sell a piece if I was accepted. But the no’s were a setback in the beginning. Facebook appeared and that helped me start my own business. More learning, oh my goodness, in areas I never dreamed. Computer skills didn’t have. Marketing didn’t have, Promoting, yikes. I just wanted to paint. Over the years I have learned most of those skills and I do appreciate my own work more and damn proud of it. But within a few years, months and even weeks, the world changed. It actually was a saving grace (during Covid). Artists were flourishing. But we still had to reinvent ourselves once again. With all of the social media, less and less galleries, the inflation of prices on our art supplies and the unknown has me working harder than ever.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Degas was quoted in saying, ” Painting is easy when you don’t know how but very difficult when you do.” It is so true. I love my older work so much. I was complimented, by other artists, for being painterly. (Quick, energetic strokes of paint). Then and now, color is my ‘thing’. I see a rainbow of colors in white colors, blue and purple in the crease of a cows ear and red and green in the ocean. One year I was in a Shoe Themed Show. Somehow I came up with a cow wearing tennis shoes. I was off and running, so to speak. I have painted and sold hundreds of cows. But it wasn’t the cow, it was their eyes. Truly, the soul of any animal or human. I loved to paint their whimsical antics with that naughty look in their eye. My viewers see what I see. They relate to my colors, the benevolence, and my humor. Farm animals became my signature subject. I always hope it makes people make better choices on how they treat animals. Owners of my art send me pictures where they hang in their home … it is usually in their kitchen! For the past year and half, I have studied with a couple of abstract artists. I want to paint abstractly, painting ‘outside’ of the lines. I am really enjoying it. I have a show coming up in January, trees within landscapes. I have to keep myself interested, exploring, a little abstract yet colorful, of course.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
My website is debbigreen.com. I have examples of my old and new work, more stories and some goodies on the site. My email address is [email protected]. A great way to reach me. We can have a conversation. I do commissions on a limited basis and mostly animals.

Social media: I post a couple of times a week on both, with some ‘how to’ videos, bloopers, etc.

Topanga Canyon Gallery: Themed show in October ‘When Pigs Fly”, a holiday show in December, and my solo show in January.

A quarterly newsletter: joining my email list through my website.

Contact Info:

• Website: debbigreen.com
• Instagram: instragram.com/debbi_green
• Facebook: Facebook.com/debbigreen