Finding the Calm
Oil on linen
22 x 12 in.
“I thought I was stressed then! Life has certainly taken some turns since starting this piece and what was stressful last year is nothing compared to the present. So perhaps, the painting is timely, even though the subject is from the past. Peace is timeless.
As a response to the stress and drama I was experiencing, I selected some images from the years I’d lived in Europe. There is something about ancient architecture, with its grace and strength, which inspires a deep peace within. This sacred space, the Chapter Room of the Abbey de Fontenay, with the rhythmical arches and balance of natural and manmade lighting, became the perfect subject in which to immerse myself. Using traditional oil techniques, including a detailed drawing, color underpainting and final form painting, all while listening to Gregorian chants, this work became a meditation piece. It is my hope that the peace that I felt while working on this painting shines through and bestows on the viewer a quiet moment in this crazy world.”
Finding the Calm was most recently in Allison’s exhibit People and Places on display at Holder Dane Art Gallery in Grapevine, Texas. Though Allison is generally known for her finely expressive portraiture, she balances her human portraits with “portraits” of spaces and landscapes, endowing each with a serene quality, evoking a sense that the viewer is part of the piece. As a resident artist at Holder Dane where she exhibits and paints and teaches, Allison is open and available to speak with visitors to the gallery generously sharing her knowledge and insights.
Inspired by the depth and dimension of art while in living in Paris, Allison began her training with private art teachers, quickly turning to teaching on European painting holidays. These experiences have been rounded out by numerous painting and portrait workshops along with intensive study with Anthony Ryder at the Ryder Studio in Santa Fe.
Allison has had work accepted into and displayed at national and regional juried shows with Oil Painters of America, Portrait Society of America – Texas, Pastel Society of the Southwest, American Artists Professional League, Hunting Art Prize as well as numerous group and solo shows.
View more of Deborah Allison’s work on her website, and connect with her on Facebook.
