Thornbury artist Deborah Masters combines colour and texture to bring nature to life in ethereal ways.
A Design Arts graduate, Deborah Masters moved on to further her studies in the fine art of decorative painting in France, Toronto and Australia, where she worked alongside well-known decorative artist Jennifer Bennell on an episode of the popular TV show Our House. Her decorative work has been featured in The Globe and Mail’s Fashion and Design section and also appeared on the front cover of the coffee table book, The Timberframe Way, out of Colorado.
“Fifteen years ago I took an OCA course in encaustics – the ancient form of painting with hot wax – and started to combine the wax medium with my decorative techniques to create paintings,” says Masters. “My passion is colour and texture, combining the two to create a work of art. My inspiration comes from nature – the beauty of a waxy hosta leaf, the richness of a poppy field, the shimmering reflections on water or a pebbly shoreline can be achieved through the beautiful flexibility of the encaustic medium.”
Working from her studio in Thornbury, Masters creates her paintings as well as applying a wide range of decorative finishes to furniture. Her work can be seen by appointment at her studio or at open house events through the year. Masters is represented locally at Butter Gallery in Collingwood, and her work can be found in private collections in the area, across Canada, in the U.S. and Dubai. ❧
