Juried Member of EBSQ+
A 29 year resident of Erath County, Texas, Debbie Grayson Lincoln travels the country searching for subjects for her paintings. Many, however, are found in her own backyard of Morgan Mill, Texas.
Deborah Grayson Lincoln was raised in Dallas and was a member of St. James Episcopal Church. Now an active Methodist, her roots remain deep in Episcopalian doctrine. Her maternal grandmother, Ivey Causey Oliver was an art teacher and instructed her early on. Art courses at Texas Tech University and Highland College in Illinois continued her education. As a First Place and Best of Show winner in the acclaimed B’Nai B'Rith Invitational art show in 1978, she was invited back the following year to be the featured artist, with one of her paintings used as a promotional poster for the event that year. Raising children in the 80’s diverted her temporarily from fine art, but she continued to use her talents as a graphic artist/desktop publisher, working from her home while her children were small. Now that her children are grown, she has found a renewed interest in pursuing her artistic interests and is trying a number of styles and mediums. Her favorite is oil, but watercolor and pencil are also ways of expressing her love of the beauty God has brought into her life, with favorite subjects being her family, friends and Texas landscapes, wildlife and horse related events. A year ago, Debbie was invited to join a group known as “Daily Painters” and on Sept 12, 2007 began to paint a painting every day and post it to her blog and to the Daily Painters’ website, where much of her work is sold.
Summer 2006 was a busy one. Contracted to participate in a Gallery Opening with 4 other artists, Debbie painted furiously the 12 months preceding the gala. Shipping 35 paintings to Geneva, New York, was no small feat, and the trip from Texas was even more of a challenge. The gallery opening of Earthworks was celebrated in grand style, and Debbie returned to Texas more committed than ever to pursue her heart. Much of her work is also offered at the “Art for You” Gallery in Thurber, Texas and the “Rainbird” Gallery in Blanco, Texas.
September 2006 saw the sale of the fast lube business she and husband Mike spent 11 years building and operating. Now she and Mike travel, gathering visual stimulation for her art, with their most recent trip in the summer of 2008 being a 7 week trek north to Glacier Park in Montana, with stops in Wyoming, South Dakota and Colorado.
Debbie regularly rides her 12 year old mare, PJ, with the most recent horsey addition being PJ’s filly foal, born this past April. Hopefully “Dandy” will be a horse the future grandchildren will enjoy.
Debbie says: In 2005, at the ripe old age of 53, I decided to take the plunge and re-commit myself to doing things that sustain my soul. God has blessed Mike and me with kids raised and independent, supportive husband, family and friends, good health and a business with terrific employees.
I have always ridden horses and always painted and drawn, but never had the opportunity to enjoy both to the fullest. A spiritual renewal in 1999 re-introduced me the Lord, and it is through faith in Him that I have arrived at this point in life (as well as from the gentle nudging of a precious friend).
I live in a part of Texas where we are surrounded by incredible horses and their owners/trainers. Many of my neighbors are real cowboys and horsemen/women. The photo opportunities are endless and the inspirations are bounded only by one’s imagination. I feel blessed to be able to indulge two of my passions in such a fashion – painting the country and people around me and riding the horses that are bred here.
I am still “evolving” a style and constantly learning. When I was in desktop publishing and designing logos, I drew like an engineer – precise and exact – photographic-like reproductions were my mainstay. Now, as a cherished friend says, I want to “hang loose”! My “style” is not yet established. I am having too much fun trying new things…but I predict if you follow me for a while, you’ll enjoy the evolution!