Lamey-MacDonald, Debbie

Debbie Lamey-MacDonald is a representational artist residing in rural Nova Scotia, Canada. Her reverence for nature and rural surroundings is depicted in her work. Since childhood Debbie displayed a deep interest and connection to nature through outdoor exploration and art making. Nature has always been a nurturing force in her life, as well as an ongoing muse for both her artwork and writing.

She works from life (observational painting and drawing), working primarily in oils, but also enjoys sketching in mixed media. Her interest in mindfulness informs her work on a deeper level. Life experiences, emotional ties to her subject and the pursuit of calm, greatly influence her work. She explores everyday beauty with the intent of living in a present moment.

Debbie has exhibited her work in Nova Scotia and sells her work throughout North America and abroad. In 1999 she was honored to be juried into Nova Scotia Art Gallery’s travelling exhibit “Far & Wide III”. In 1997 she held her first Solo Show in Sherbrooke Historic Village, Nova Scotia.  Thereafter, she held two more Solo Exhibits in 2002 and 2005. Debbie continues to participate in group shows and particularly the yearly Tearmann Society Fund Raiser for Abused Women. She is presently a self-represented artist, selling her work from her personal website.  

Artist Statement

Since a young age, I have felt a deep connection and curiosity towards nature. My dad being an avid gardener, greatly influenced my adoption of the same practice. Gardening and walks in nature not only allow an intimate connection with my subjects, but inform my knowledge of them as well. I love painting both floral portraits and local landscape, with a particular interest in clouds. 

My primary medium is oil paints, I have always loved their buttery texture and the ability to edit passages as I paint.  I work on a variety of substrates: wood panels, linen and archival paper. Using high quality, professional materials is important to my practice. 

The practice of working directly from life supports the intimate connection needed in order to translate my reverence for each subject. Direct observation keeps my work alive and fresh. I either complete work on location or paint studies to later use as reference for larger studio works. Working from life allows me to see subtle shifts in color that only the human eye can detect. 

 Another concept I am forever intrigued by is the contrast between man made time and the sense of endless time experienced in nature. The former exemplifies segmented time, while the latter allows for a seamless sense of time that flows from one moment to the next. I find myself continually striving to translate this easy flow in my work. The joy and solace I experience in nature, is core to all work produced.