A nonprofit art organization promoting art, artists, and land conservation.
Gallery 224 presents,
Paintings by
Deb Mortl
Visit us in the month of May
to view the artwork
of ARTservancy Resident,
Deb Mortl
This exhibition features
artwork inspired by a
yearlong residency at
Spirit Lake Preserve, a property of the
Ozaukee Washington Land Trust.
To read more about these collaborations,
visit Eddee Daniel's blog.
Opening Reception
Join us for an evening
of art & conversation,
Saturday May 6th, 6-7:30pm.
.
Ways to Get Involved
We would love if our ARTservancy programming would encourage you to spend some time investigating these preserves, parks and conservation areas.
Ozaukee Washington Land Trust offers many ways to get involved.
Check out their events page to volunteer at a preserve near you. I'm sure they would be happy to meet you.
Beginnings
I am an oil painter and art teacher. I trace my love of art to the time when I painted with my grandfather who lived on the Milwaukee River.
My grandfather painted landscapes, and when I was in grade school, we painted together. He was my first art teacher and my inspiration.
I grew up in Glendale, went to Dominican High School in Whitefish Bay, and then attended Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD), graduating with a degree in fine arts.
For six years I worked as a medical illustrator and photographer at Children’s Hospital. Then I decided to pursue a career in art therapy.
I graduated from Mt. Mary with a masters degree in art therapy. After working in the field briefly, I went back to school again at Carroll University to gain the courses needed to be an art teacher. I taught briefly at my alma mater, Dominican High School before settling in at Cedarburg High School, which is where I have been for the last twenty-three years.
I love teaching, and every day is different. Teaching art also makes me a better artist. I see how my students problem-solve on their projects and it has an impact on my own paintings.
My landscape paintings have evolved from traditional and representational to a more non-objective style as I try to capture the essence of the landscape through removing unnecessary and distracting details. With the age of digital photography and the ease and immediacy of the medium, I think representation is better left for the camera.
My paintings feel more idealistic when I focus on color and texture in my composition and let the layers of color resonate against each other. Abstract landscapes become more open-ended, letting the viewer decipher their own personal meaning from them.
