Welcome to my website! I am a painter, I have enjoyed painting for as long as I can remember. I am happier thinking in shapes, textures and colors rather than words. I am also a parent. It is a role I shared with the same life partner for thirty something years. Together we raised a couple of happy, resourceful human beings in spite of the gloom and chaos by which our little nuclear family seemed to be continuously challenged.
I believe my painting practice also reflects this challenge, that I felt in my role as a parent, of keeping chaos at bay. It is a theme to which I return frequently.
Artist Statement
I work toward clarity and reparation in my painting practice, I look to create a history of surface mark making that bends toward the beauty of balance and resolution. My practice mirrors a strong desire to repair our broken world , a world that is not predictable, dependable, nor seemingly purposeful.
In spite of experiences I have had to the contrary, I believe in the goodness of people; and that this world, our common human predicament, is getting better over time. The odds are with us. We can be kind.
As I paint I work toward unwrapping this idea, looking for its possibility, found deep, hidden under layers of distracting activity and noise.
My process is intuitive. I bring into my studio emotional reactions and memories of those emotional reactions of all that goes on around me. My memories influence my current perceptions, and I know that my current perceptions will eventually change my memories.
I choose my color palette and support structure in advance, but everything else is determined by the painting process itself. There is no preconceived subject matter, no preliminary drawings. Both composition and subject are determined by the process. I start new pieces by an accident of nature: either throwing a bucket of paint or scraping a mess of pigmented wax across the surface. Then I go about cleaning up the mess, making repairs. I'll pour, scrape, brush, and wipe until I have claimed common purpose with the remaining layers of shape, color, and texture still clinging onto the surface of the support structure. I am comfortable working this way, it seems risky, but I like that. I like the "what if" possibilities.
As I paint, recognizable images seem to pop up, hovering just below conscious identification. So far, I have rejected the invitation to give these images clarity. I want my work to be open-ended, I want the viewer to complete the story, not me. Titles are the most I impose on a viewer's experience. They can act as sea anchors, a solid place to start looking.
I hope you enjoy looking at my work. I hope my paintings bring to you, the viewer, as much sublime serenity as I feel when I finish one.
Biography
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 also have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Philosophy from U.C. Santa Cruz, and a Masters Degree in Human Development from Pacific Oaks College, Pasadena, California.
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.
I have worked in graphic design, newsletter publication, website design, 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 have developed and supervised ethnobotanical student gardens, including a garden docent program for the Southwest Museum, Los Angeles, CA. I created curriculum and supervised a Native American Project for the Highland Park/Eagle Rock 4-H Club, co-sponsored by California Releaf. I created greenhouse curriculum for the Environmental Science Academy at Walter Reed Middle School, recognized by Mayor Garcetti with a grant award to build a greenhouse science laboratory for the academy. 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 the ultimately successful curriculum redesign of a large local public middle school into five 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:
"Art Matters" annual group exhibit: Huntington Gardens, Pasadena, California
March 26 - 28 2021 (scheduled)
"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 (exhibit 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
LAAA Catalog Volume III: Los Angeles Art Association, (Scheduled for 2020)
LAAA Catalog Volume II: Los Angeles Art Association, 2019
"Book Features Illustrations by Debra Vodhandel", 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 Jounrnal; October 5, 1978
"The Mailbox as Museum", Artweek, March 18, 1978 Page 5
Affiliations
Member: ArtShare Los Angeles; January 2020 - present
Member: Los Angeles Art Association; 2018 - present
Sponsor: Art Division; 2018 - present
Sponsor: Art of Peace Club; Walter Reed Middle School, Los Angeles, California 2016 - 2019
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, inclusion in the Art Rental Gallery; 1979 - 1992
Gallery Representation: James Turcotte Gallery; 1985 - 1987
Contact:
Instagram:
#debravodhanelpaintings
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/debravodhanel.paintings
