A Washington native, Deborah Brisker Burk is an award-winning artist who has been creating art since childhood. She has worked in a range of media including sculpture, printmaking, painting and drawing.
Sharing her process and inspiration, the artist says, “I paint to be engaged in the river of life, the smooth and the turbulent. For me, it is all about the adventure and the process…and to capture a slice of the world in which I inhabit. My thoughts and emotions are the impetus to my artistic expression. The work “lives” in a constant dialogue as I explore and respond to what is happening on the painting surface.
Communicating and staying connected to our culture by producing artwork that uplifts and brings a place of serenity to the viewer is a constant for me. The subject matter, whether the landscape or the figure, serves as a platform for this connection.
For me the act of painting is very physical as I stand before the painting surface. In my series, I start with an idea about a shape structure, a color palette and a mood that I am seeking. Once the first sweep of color or mark is applied, I allow my visceral and emotional reactions to guide the process to completion. Utilizing a wide array of tools, adding, subtracting, sculpting and editing the painting surface, I stay open and curious about the unfolding images. This process evolves and informs one work to the next.
Recently, as I continue to explore the earthscapes and vistas from the world around me, I have been mining a softening of color, edges and shapes. In my process I am driven to create—a further connection to the land’s brilliance and to the people who inhabit it.”
