Deborah Friedman: Studying the Color Field

In Deborah Friedman’s most recent drawings of cairns she studies the interaction of colors.

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Colored pencil returned me to my love of drawing. I transitioned back to the medium after seeing the strides made by other artists using a myriad of “CP” techniques in a magazine in 2005. It was easier to pick up pencils and get straight to work than to mix oils, work and clean up while raising young children. I particularly like the transparency of colored pencils, and often layer 20 or more colors to create the effects I’m looking for.

I’ve learned numerous techniques for applying and removing pigment, and love to push myself in developing my use of the medium, including using watercolor layers and solvents. The Colored Pencil Society of America has been instrumental in my successes with this medium, through attending their convention, meeting other CP artists and taking workshops. CP artists are very open to sharing their techniques and passion for colored pencils.

My art often involves juxtapositions of contrasting elements, and usually incorporates something from nature. My current series of work started as a challenge in the summer of 2009 to develop 10 small drawings exploring different ways of looking at stones. I made it to the eighth drawing, placing some stones in a bowl of water to look at the meniscus line when I discovered ideas I was excited to pursue. I’m captivated by color, light, distortion and mood, as well as finding unique ways of interpreting such a common object.