Deborah Williams OAS – portfolio

Contact the artist

Artist information

As an artist I am largely self-taught, although when I lived in London I went for several years to life-drawing classes run by Bobby Gill, an amazing teacher in Notting Hill Gate. I still sometimes look back at work I did with her to push myself in different directions.

My work is mostly representative: I like the way the world looks too much to let go of it (although I produce an occasional abstract to express a feeling I can’t depict in any other way). I think it is fair to say that my main inspiration is people and bodies – usually in action and focussed on what they are thinking/doing – but I do love playing with strong light and shade and this shows through in my still lifes and other observational work.

I work mostly in collage, pastel and acrylic paint.

Exhibition information

This year, I will be showing pictures reflecting current Oxford life: things seen during walks on Portmeadow, in West Oxford and elsewhere – and building work (which Oxford feels full of at the moment). My main image “Tunnel of Doom” – showing the bottleneck at Station Bridge which we have to fight our way through to get into the City centre – is one example. I am working on a companion piece to this and a number of other, very different, Oxford images at the moment – it’s touch and go whether they will all be ready for this Exhibition..

I will also have some Greek cafe scenes, from Athens, Pylos and Koloni in Greece and Paris, based on sunny memories and my holiday sketchbooks.

I have also been doing a lot of life drawing over the last few years – returning to my roots – and will be showing what I think is the best of this as well as collages which use my sketches to produce more complex work.

As well as original work, there will be giclee prints and cards to buy.

I am exhibiting as part of wocART with 5 other artists and makers showing a lovely variety of work