Artist Statement

I’m fascinated by how everyday things like grocery lists and memos can take on surprising significance. I love how these details are both universal and personal. How many elements repeat and converge in a condensed version of time. 

I’m also drawn to irregular, random, relationships. Things that are lyrical, thoughtful, a little quirky and infused with a bit of longing. And, I’m curious about where things touch, where one thought ends and another begins, what is left unsaid, the imperfect. 

I play with these details using collage, drawing and mixed media, layering materials and gesture, finding beauty in surprising relationships; often improvised or accidental. I use marks to weave tension between content I choose to reveal and what I conceal. 

What is important to me is to acknowledge a moment in time, one that will never exist again, and that my work might touch someone and prompt them to see the world in a fresh way. My work is an expression of a passing moment, the beauty of discovery - palpable, distilled and abstracted. A way to say, “I am here”.

Biography

Chicago artist Deborah Newmark has degrees in Art History and Studio Art from the University of Illinois. Further study includes drawing, painting, and printmaking at the Art Institute of Chicago, Oxbow, Lill Street Gallery, and The Chicago Printmakers Collaborative. 

Recent exhibits include Oliva Gallery, Highland Park Art Center, and the Evanston Art Center. Commissions include work for Residential, Hospitality, Healthcare and Corporate enviroments.

In addition to her art, Newmark’s experience extends to the design industry including twenty plus years as the Creative Director for Skyline Deisgn, award winning manufacturer of decorative architectural glass for interior and exterior environments.