Gallery 224 presents,
Paintings by
Deb Mortl
Visit us in the month of May
to view the artwork
of ARTservancy Resident,
Deb Mortl
โ
This exhibition features
artwork inspired by a
yearlong residency at
Spirit Lake Preserve, a property of the
Ozaukee Washington Land Trust.
โ
โ
โ
To read more about these collaborations,
visit Eddee Daniel's blog.
Opening Reception
Join us for an evening
of art & conversation,
โ
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.
โ
Ozaukee Washington Land Trust offers many ways to get involved.
โ
Check out their events page to volunteer at a preserve near you. I'm sure they would be happy to meet you.
Beginnings
โ
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.
โ
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.
โ
โ
โ
โ
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.
โ
โ
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.
