Cambridge – Deborah Colburn, a member artist at Main Street Gallery, is the gallery’s featured artist for May and June. Showing a body of work she has titled “Conundrum”, the St. Michaels painter will exhibit alongside the work of the other gallery artist members. A conundrum, she explains, is a situation that is a challenge to understand or is ambiguous, or which has no clear answer. In the case of her artwork, Deborah explains that there is no right or wrong meaning to her richly colored, mostly abstract works. Their content depends on the viewer’s perspective and the meaning can change over time.
A St. Michaels resident for the past 20 years, Deborah came to painting later in her life. She had dabbled in art off and on since college, but became serious about it back in 1999 when she first moved to the Eastern Shore. After attending an art opening she wandered into the craft shop and picked up a paintbrush. She felt an immediate jolt of excitement and knew then and there she had to paint. Today she works in her Wittman studio, WittAireArtists in the McMartin & Beggins Fine Furniture Building.
Painting in both oil and acrylic Deborah’s subjects have been primarily landscapes, animals and abstracts. She has scaled back her career as an occupational therapist to allow her more time to practice the craft she loves, but she does enjoy working, under the auspices of Talbot Mentors, with at risk youth and adolescents, helping them create art in her studio.
“The work in this show is primarily created as a ‘dance between the canvas and my palette and brush” she says. Explaining how she starts a work, she says she makes an initial mark and then responds to it and the marks begin to build.
Occasionally she focuses on a particular feeling or experience or limits her work to just two or three colors. The viewer, she says, is encouraged to find her own meaning in the work.
“Conundrum” opens on Friday, May 3 and will continue through Sunday, June 23. There will be two Second Saturday receptions at the gallery on May 11 and June 8 from 5-8 pm. All are invited and light refreshments will be served. Main Street Gallery is located at 518 Poplar St. directly across from Jimmie and Sooks. Visit their website at: www.mainstgallery.org or call 410-330-4659 for more information.
Main Street Gallery is Cambridge’s only artist-owned and run cooperative and is currently reviewing work from prospective members. Please contact the Gallery if you are interested in being a part of this vibrant artist community.