Deborah Frazier
I see beauty in the twining of a morning glory vine, and in the shine of sunlight on a growing pumpkin, or in the tangle of shoes in my closet. I try to distill and interpret what I find in my garden, walks in the woods, and time spent on the beach into wearable one of a kind artwork. My two little girls also inspire many of my designs, with their love of the ocean and dancing and joy at being alive. There is nothing quite like shine and feel of silk and how it glows when you hold it into the light.
My background lies in children’s book illustration, and a great deal of the illustrative quality can be seen in my scarves and pillows. I am self taught at silk painting, using trial and error to search out a method that works the best for me.
The process: Each scarf or pillow starts with a hand drawn design in a clear waterbased resist. Then each color is added by brush, often layering shades until I get the affect that I am striving for. The artwork is then steamed for two to three hours to set the dyes, washed, ironed and prepared for display. The scarves and pillows are easy to care for, and can even be washed in a washing machine.
Education: The College of Wooster, Wooster OH – Bachelor of Arts
Rhode Island School of Design – Summer Programs in Illustration/Children’s Book Illustration
Massachusetts College of Art – Post Graduate Art Classes
Danforth Museum School, Framingham, MA – Watercolor Techniques, Jewelry Design