Deb Lyons, Mixed Media Artist, Tells Her Story

It’s been fun and inspiring to read “Artists Tell Their Stories” this year. I’ve found similarities in so many stories, and fun differences in quite a few, too.

I’m Deb Lyons and I describe myself as an artist and an art educator.  I knew from a very early age that I wanted to grow up to be an artist. In the early 1950s that meant painting in abstract ways, wearing black turtleneck sweaters and hanging out with beatnik friends at jazz venues, or at least I thought it did.

Acrylic & mixed media

I was very lucky, as a child, to have a supportive family who indulged my wish for art lessons every summer. What a joy those creative days were. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any “art career” counseling during high school, so I thought that I should get a college degree in some area that I could fall back on during any “lean times” in my art career.

I enrolled in a well-known but small teacher’s college where everyone’s major was education and, of course, my minor was art. I had such a great time and, to my surprise, was totally bitten by the teaching bug.

Acrylic & mixed media

Fast forward a few years and I found myself with a dream job; teaching 1st through 8th grade art in a University Lab School during the day and going upstairs and teaching undergrad and grad students at night. A lovely bonus was having my two daughters as students throughout their elementary and middle school years. 

The creative energy of my colleagues was magical. The research and curriculum development was an all-year endeavor and it left little time or energy for my own art work. To fix this, I eventually found a teacher and co-hort of adult students that I met with once a week (for a number of years.) Life was good.

Acrylic & mixed media

We all have our ups and downs, though. I found that I had a light case of breast cancer. I was surrounded by support and love but still needed to work through all that was going on. I found that large canvases became my breast cancer journals.

Acrylic & mixed media, from the breast cancer series

Using acrylics, surgical sutures, knives, lace and found objects, I was able to travel from darkness to light. I became part of a clinical drug trial and it is a joy to see that what was experimental then is a common part of breast cancer treatment options today. I’m happy to report that I’ve been cancer free for almost 20 years.

I’ve since been able to share my journey by exhibiting these mixed media pieces in a variety of venues. 

 

Large acrylic, lace, surgical suture & mixed media from the breast cancer series

Today I am still in love with creative explorations and teaching. My new students are adults at my local Easter Seals Adult Center. The joy is palatable, the successes are celebrated, and the friendships are deep.

 

"Xela Wins at Keeneland" Quilt, cotton fabrics, cotton batting

When Brenda approached me about posting on the blog I asked if I could share my story this week. December 10^th is my Mother’s birthday. She passed away almost two years ago. She was an enthusiastic supporter of all of my artistic endeavors and I thought that this might be a small way to honor her memory.

As Joseph Campbell said, “Follow your bliss.”

This is Week 48 of 52 Artists in 52 Weeks. Thank you for reading and sharing Deb’s story today!

Rose Hughes, Quilt & Fiber Artist, Tells Her Story

It was a warm day in August 1990 when the darkroom came down in my Long Beach, California apartment. The family knew that this ‘quilt thing’ had taken hold, for a sewing machine had entered our home. Little did any of us know just how life changing this would become.


I had stumbled quite innocently into quilting that summer – seeing quilts in different places where before I had seen none. The invasion took hold in bits and pieces; literally pieces of fabric came into the house in one state and were transformed by needle and thread.

Years one and two were spent learning the basics – taking projects on the road to be stitched at hotels around the country while I traveled for work. Then there was time spent just breaking enough rules set in place by my traditional guides to have them take long second glances at the quilts I shared. By 1994 I was in search of a way to add curves to my quilts, for I loved the curves found all around me in nature and traditional square construction methods no longer worked to express what I wanted.

By studying with some amazing teachers I soon was taking a little bit from here and a little bit from there to pull together a construction method that did not require the time (and ok, the discipline) of traditional applique in order to express the curves of the world around me.

Then, once I began dyeing, painting, printing, beading, embroidery and playing with other non-traditional quilting elements I soon left the quilt police behind without worry. My quilt art finally took on my voice – I could use fabric to tell the story of what it felt like to stand in a field of poppies, leave the beaten path to confront a Suaraguo cactus while it bloomed, or stand at the entrance to the chapel in Yosemite – under the weathered rock of Half Dome, ready to marry my sweetheart.

Art has always played a role in my life, but it took thread, needle and fabric to transform me into a working artist. Since 2003, I have travelled and taught my methods, I’ve written 4 books, magazine articles, appeared on television and newspapers; making a living, thanks to those simple tools; and the ideas keep pouring in – so I am forever grateful for those long ago quilters that left bits and pieces of themselves for me to find on those hot summer days. 

In 2012 my husband retired and we left our California life behind and headed to Paducah, Kentucky. This small town is known amongst stitchers as Quilt City USA. This move allowed us to be closer to my sweetie’s family while living alongside some amazing artists. There is always something happening here! Quilt Week 2015 just ended, and a long week of exhibits, demos, book signings has also ended. But, the new friends I’ve made this week and time spent with some old quilt artist friends will be remembered for a long, long time.

Currently, my latest book (#4) hit the streets this past January. My book titles include:

Fast Piece Applique, 2015
Design, Create, Quilt, 2012
Exploring Embellishments, 2010
Dream Landscape, 2008

My website provides information about me, my work and my offerings.

I teach on-line workshops throughout the year on Academy of Quilting. My favorite – Shaping-Up with Fast-Piece Applique is scheduled to start on May 1, 2015.


To keep up with me, and have some fun along the way you may want to check out my Blog, Like my Facebook page and you can click here to get my monthly Newsletter.

If you happen to be in western Kentucky, Rose is part of the current exhibit Two Voices at Jefferson Street Studio  - Paducah, Kentucky, through May 1, 2015.

This is Week 16 of 52 Artists in 52 Weeks. Thank you for reading and sharing Rose’s story today!