Welcome

Artist Statement

 I use paint with wax and plaster to transform colors, textures, and shapes into images that trigger significant past experiences reframed in a way new to me. I look for images that surprise me, that I have never seen before. I believe I paint about attachment, identity, and reparation of our fragile but resilient world. I work toward unwrapping the ideas that we can heal, that the world is getting better over time, that humans - the most viscous of all species - are innately good. I look for a deeper imagining of what is real, what could be hovering just below conscious identification.

Curriculum Vitae:

Education

I received my training at Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Skowhegan, Maine; Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, California; and Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts, Atelier de M. Nallard, Paris, France. I have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Philosophy from U.C. Santa Cruz; a Masters Degree in Human Development from Pacific Oaks College, Pasadena, California.

Exhibitions/Demonstrations

I have exhibited nationally including: Anna Gardner Gallery, Stinson Beach, CA; Artist’s Space, New York, NY; ArtShare, Los Angeles, CA ; Brand Library Art Galleries, Glendale, CA ; Gallery 825, Los Angeles, CA ; Herron School of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana; James Turcotte Gallery, Los Angeles, CA; Joslyn Center of the Arts, Torrance, CA ; Long Beach Art Museum Rental Gallery, Long Beach, CA ; Los Angeles County Museum of Art Rental Gallery, Los Angeles, CA ; Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA ; L. A. Woman’s Building, Los Angeles, CA ; Malki Museum, Moronga Reservation, Banning, CA ; New Orleans Contemporary Art Center, New Orleans, LA ; Norris Theatre, Palos Verdes, CA ; and Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA. My work has been reviewed in the Daily News, Los Angeles Times, and Artweek. 

Work Experience

Work experience includes graphic design, magazine and newsletter publication, website management, and education. I am a founding member of both the non-profit Mt. Washington Childcare and Preschool and the Mt. Washington Kinder-Care Co-op. I developed and supervised ethnobotanical student gardens, including a garden docent program for the Southwest Museum, Los Angeles, CA; a Native American Garden Project for the Highland Park/Eagle Rock 4-H Club co-sponsored by California Releaf; greenhouse curriculum for the Environmental Science Academy at Walter Reed Middle School. My educational outreach includes ethnobotanical workshops at various school and community locations for children in the greater Los Angeles area.  After working for more than 18 years doggedly supporting an ultimately successful curriculum redesign of a large public middle school into smaller learning communities more aligned to student needs and interests, I have returned to painting full time, which is my first and primary passion.

Exhibitions

"Heart of the Matter" solo show; Orange County Center for Contemporary Art (OCCCA); Santa Ana, California; September 7 - September 28, 2024

"TRYST" Alternative Art Fair sponsored by Torrance Art Museum; Del Amo Crossing, Torrance, California August 23 - 24 2024

"The Art of Nature"  group exhibition San Marino League Art Benefit; Huntington Library, Pasadena, California June  14, 2024

"Greenman's Parade"  group exhibition Hive Gallery; Los Angeles, California; June 8th - June 29th

"TRYST" Alternative Art Fair sponsored by Torrance Art Museum; Del Amo Crossing, Torrance, California October 27 - October 29, 2023

"No Matter What" group exhibition; Range Projects; Los Angeles, California; October 21 - November 25, 2023

"Extreme Moderation" group exhibition curated by Jeffrey Frisch; Orange County Center for Contemporary Art (OCCCA); Santa Ana, California; September 2 - September 23, 2023

LAAA Annual Exhibit and Benefit Auction: live stream, sponsored by Gallery 825; Los Angeles, California, August 5, 2023 

"Layers" group exhibition curated by Andrea Moni; Orange County Center for Contemporary Art (OCCCA); Santa Ana, California; June 3 - 24, 2023

"The Art of Wellness" group exhibition 22nd Annual WeHo Mishka Festival; West Hollywood, California; April 30 - May 21, 2023

"Make Plain" group exhibition; Gallery 825, Los Angeles, California; July 9 - July 29, 2022

"Spring Benefit Art Exhibition and Auction" ArtShareLA; Los Angeles, California;  May 12, 2022

"4x4x15" group exhibition; Vi Smith Concourse Gallery, Orange County John Wayne Airport; May 2022 - July 2023

"Lightness and Darkness" group exhibition; MorYork Gallery; Los Angeles, California; March 27 - April 3, 2022

"Wait Gain"  online group exhibition; Dab Art; March 5 - June 5, 2022

"Spring into Art" group exhibition San Marino League Art Benefit;  Huntington Library, Pasadena, California

March 26 - 27, 2022

"Indistinct Chatter" group exhibition; Gallery 825; Los Angeles, California February 26 - April 1, 2022 

"Annual Charity Auction" online exhibition and auction; King Hall Legal Foundation Annual Charity Auction, Davis, California; February 11, 2021

"Penumbra"group exhibition; Gallery 825; Los Angeles, California January 8 - 24, 2022

"Healing Tales" group exhibition; Neutra Museum and Gallery; Los Angeles, California November 6 -November 30, 2021

"The Late Style" recent artwork by emerging artist, Gallery 825; Los Angeles, California October 23 - November 9, 2021

"Vagaries" online group exhibit and sale; Gallery 825; Los Angeles, California October 2 - 19, 2021

"Skowhegan Plein Air" group exhibit Fresco Barn Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Skowhegan, Maine July 17, 2021

"Petit Works"  online small work group exhibition and sale; Gallery 825; Los Angeles, California,  June 19 - July 11, 2021 

"Spring Forward" online juried group exhibition sponsored by Rhode Island Watercolor Society May 22, 2021 - June 26, 2021. https://rhodeislandwatercolorsociety.wildapricot.org/page-1860422

“20/20 In Hindsight: Coping, Confronting, and Creating Change”: 

ATgallery.art; Department of Marital and Family Therapy with Specialized Training in Art Therapy; Loyola Marymont University’s College of Communication and Fine Art; Los Angeles, California June 5th - August 31, 2021

"Magical Writing" group exhibition; Neutra Museum and Gallery; Los Angeles, California June 5 - June 26, 2021

“The Inner Landscapes (what is the stuff our world is made of?)”: Neutra Museum and Gallery; Los Angeles, California May1 – May 22, 2021

“crossings” online exhibition: Artavita, April 2 - June 2 2021

“Call and Response: Collaboration at a Distance Rounds 11, 12, and 13”: Shoebox Arts Online Art Exhibition, February 3, 2021 - current

"Aurora" online group exhibit and art sale; Gallery 825; Los Angeles, California

November 4 - December 11, 2020

LAAA Annual Exhibit and Benefit Auction: live stream, Gallery 825; Los Angeles, California, August 18 2020 

"Habitual" online group exhibit:  Gallery 825; Los Angeles, California, July 25 - August 10 2020

"Field of Vision" online group exhibit:  Gallery 825; Los Angeles, California, July 11 - 24 2020

"Gleaming Apollo" online group exhibit:  Gallery 825; Los Angeles, California, June 2 -11 2020

"Petit Works" online group exhibit:  Gallery 825; Los Angeles, California, May 14 - 22 2020

"Seclusion" online group exhibit:  Gallery 825; Los Angeles, California, April 9 - 17 2020

"Virtual Exhibit" online group exhibit: ArtShareLA; Los Angeles, California, February 29  2020 - present

"Let's Hang@ArtShare Salon" Group Exhibit: ArtShareLA; Los Angeles, California, November 2 - December 20 2019

"Vs." Group exhibit: Gallery 825; Los Angeles, California, August 17 - September 6, 2019

"Out There" Group exhibit: Gallery 825; Los Angeles, California, June 22 - June 28, 2019

Group Exhibit and Benefit Auction: Gallery 824; Los Angeles, California, July 28, 2018

"Perimeter VII" Group Exhibit: Art Share LA; Los Angeles, California, November 10 - December 1, 2018

"Summer Salon" Group Exhibit: Art Share LA; Los Angeles, California, June 16 - July 10, 2018

"Out There" Group exhibit: Gallery 825; Los Angeles, California, June 8 - June 15, 2018

"Culture Factory" group exhibit: One Colorado, Pasadena, California, December 5 1992 - January 3 1993

Solo Exhibit: Colony Studio Theatre, Los Angeles, California, July - October 1992

Solo exhibit: Norris Theatre; Palos Verdes,California, October 1992

Group exhibit: Norris Theatre; Palos Verdes, California, November 1991

Solo Exhibit (artwork was changed quarterly): Wilshire Center Bank; Los Angeles, California

1988 - 1991

"Contemporary Abstractions" Group exhibit: Weingart Center, Occidental College, Los Angeles, California, July - October 1990 

Art Auction and Exhibit: Sunshine Mission for Women; Los Angeles, California, March 24, 1990

"Stepps Discovers L.A. Young Artists" Group exhibit: Stepps Restaurant; Los Angeles, California, June 1989  - February 1990 

"Recent Paintings" Two person show: Brand Library Art Galleries; Glendale, California, January 9 - February 2 1988

"Obsessions" Group exhibit: Joslyn Center of the Arts; Torrance, California, September 9 - 25 1987 

Group Exhibit: James Turcotte Gallery; Los Angeles, California, January 3 - February 8 1987

"New Watercolors" solo exhibit: James Turcotte Gallery; Los Angeles, California, February 4 - March 1 1986

Group Exhibit: James Turcotte Gallery; Los Angeles, California, December 3 - January 4  1985-1986

Group Exhibit: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Art Rental Gallery; Los Angeles, California, February 1 - March 1 1985

Group Exhibit: Night House, L.A. Theatre Works; Los Angeles, California, August 24 - November 1 1984

Group Exhibit: Long Beach Art Museum, Art Rental Gallery; Long Beach, California 1982, May - September 1982

"Summer Show" Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Art Rental Gallery; Los Angeles, California, May 11 - June 29 1979

"Posters, Books, Postcards - By Women" Group exhibit: L.A. Woman's Building; Los Angeles, California, December 15 - January 16 1978 - 1979

Group Exhibit: Anna Gardner Gallery; Stinson Beach, California, October 1 - November 2 1978

"Artwork and Bookworks" Group exhibit: Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art (LAICA); Los Angeles, California, February 28 - March 30 1978

Exhibit traveled to:

    Artist's Space, New York City, New York

    Herron School of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana

    New Orleans Contemporary Art Center

Group Exhibit: Gallery Plus; Los Angeles, California, October 1 - October 30 1976

Reviews & Publications

"Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture Alumni Exhibition now at OCCCA", Daily Pilot,  L.A. Times January 4, 2024

"New 'immersive' art gallery set to open at the Outlets of Tejon", 23ABC (www.turnto23.com); June 25, 2021

LAAA Catalog Volume III: Los Angeles Art Association, 2021

LAAA Catalog Volume II: Los Angeles Art Association, 2019

"Book Features Illustrations by Debra Vodhanel", Larchmont Chronicle; December 27, 2010

A Story of Seven Sisters: A Tongva Pleides Legend: By Pamela Marx, Illustrated by Debra Vodhanel; Malki-Ballena Press, 2010

"Local Artists Display Works at Occidental", Star-Review, Highland Park News-Herald & Journal; August 1, 1990

"Artist uses Earth and Ashes for Expression", Daily News; January 20, 1988 Page 2

"The Art Galleries Downtown", Los Angeles Times; February 7, 1986 Calendar Section Page 22

"Woman's Building Anniversary", Artweek, December 16,1978 Page 7

"Quartet Showing Works at Stinson Beach", Independent Journal; October 5, 1978 

"The Mailbox as Museum", Artweek, March 18, 1978 Page 5

Affiliations

Exhibition Director: Orange County Center for Contemporary Art; 2024 - 2026 

Alumni Sponsor: Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture 2021- present

Member: ArtShare Los Angeles; January 2020 - present

Member: Los Angeles Art Association;  2018 – present

Member: Artist/Mother Network “Wearing All the Hats (without losing your head)” January-June 2021

Sponsor: Art Division; 2018 - 2020

Sponsor: Art of Peace Club; Walter Reed Middle School, Los Angeles, California 2016 - 2020

Los Angeles County Museum of Art, inclusion in the Art Rental Gallery; 1979 - 1992

Gallery Representation: James Turcotte Gallery; Los Angeles, California; 1985 - 1987

Contact

 Email: debrajoanvodhanel@gmail.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debravodhanelpaintings/