Deborah Nagano

I am a mixed-media artist working with acrylic and oil paint, charcoal, pastels, and collage.  
My work is typically representational and spans a wide variety of subjects, including landscapes, portraiture, and eclectic humorous subjects. Early on, I primarily made portraits because I was drawn to the idea of capturing someone’s essence. I quickly expanded to landscape painting since moving to the Pacific Northwest six years ago, I’m never short of inspiration—and immediately loved the freedom the process allowed. 
I begin an artwork by referencing a photograph I’ve taken. Typically, my intuitive process quickly takes over, and the composition branches off from the source material. I value the process as much as the final result; I’ve painted compositions from the same photograph ten times using different mediums, and I love that each work has its own character. When viewing my natural landscapes, I hope people find a sense of tranquility and appreciation for the place depicted. 
Another pillar of my practice is humor. I enjoy creating light-hearted works that simply make people smile or laugh. For example, I might paint dancing sheep, renegade bees robbing a honey pot, Van Gogh in the emergency room or the Mona Lisa leaving her painting for a wine break.  Through my work—whether a portrait, landscape, or funny composition—I hope to create small moments of beauty and humor in the world.