Artist Biography-
Deb Weiser
I love what my 10-year-old grandson had in his report at school.
“Her name is Debra Kathlene Weiser.
She is my grandmother. She is married to my grandpa who is my dad’s dad. She came from Ireland. There are 2 Irelands. One is The Republic of Ireland and the other is Northern Ireland. She is from Northern Ireland. She came to America about 40 years ago with her mom, dad and brothers and sisters. She started life in the United States as a high school student. She graduated within only 3 years and then went to college with a degree in Commercial Art.”
Well, it gets kind of mushy after that so I’ll take over.
I learned my love of art from my mother. As a child, I’d watch her paint and ask how was she able to make the flowers so real and pretty. “Tis magic, darling. That and a bit of talent God has given to me.”
I enjoy all forms of art and I am always trying something new. Acrylic, oils, resin, pastels, clay, metal and whatever else I can imagine. And I really enjoy sharing the experience with others in my classes. When the little light comes on behind the eyes, I know I have done my job. I don’t follow a particular style or media. My husband says that my art changes as fast as the Iowa weather.
The only consistent items I have done are my angels. Several years ago, I was the caretaker for my aging mother-in-law. She was the most cantankerous and loveable little lady I have ever known. We became as close as any two people can who are so far apart in age. When she passed, I felt a void even though I have a great supporting husband and family. I missed her terribly.
I came up with the idea for "Burdened, but with Hope" in a dream. (Lots of my creative endeavors spring forth from my vivid and lengthy dreams. But more about that another time.)
Each wing of my Angels is made up from headlines cut into feathers from daily papers. The headlines pertain to the burden or subject of each Angel. "Burdened, but with Hope" consists of the all too often headlines of war, murder, theft, disease and such. But mixed with it are the headlines of good Samaritans, medical cures and other examples of hope. I also worked into it the wording of The Lord's Prayer. I felt my burden lifted upon its completion and was further elated when a Christian Healing Center purchased it for their entry way. That was my first angel and it compelled me to create more.
Since then I have created over 15 angels, each one different on its inspiration. It may be sadness, catastrophic illness or other forms. Bu the angel represents a shared burden and a positive outlook. I have also done commissions. One, requested by a couple who shared musical theater experiences in college and are now in completely unrelated fields had her wings made up of the music from their shows. The angels are all 3’ x 4’. I am currently working on one representing “Old Age” and the feathers of her memories are gently falling off.
I own DKW Art Gallery in Marion, Iowa. I have a working studio and we represent 20 regional artists. We pride ourselves on featuring outstanding but affordable art. We also have art classes from age 3 through adult.
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