Clinton natives set to showcase art at center
LJD with Carrie Donaire, Clinton’s Director, Convention & Visitors Bureau. Both Carrie and Larry are former Student Body Presidents of Clinton High School, only one is much older if not wiser. You can guess who is the older one.
Carrie is the daughter of friend and fellow high school classmate, Steven Mayer and his wife Kit.
(transcribed from the Clinton Herald, Clinton, Iowa, March 8, 2014)
AN ABSTRACT LOOK
Clinton natives set to showcase art at center .
BY SAMANTHA PIDDE
Herald Staff Writer
CLINTON —— For Artists Debora Stewart, of Clinton, and Larry Davis, of Knoxville, I11., abstract paintings are their preferred medium for showing the world around them. “I can draw very realistically,” Debora said. “I just don’t want to.”
Growing up in Clinton, Debora used to sit with her mother at the diningroom table and draw. Throughout the years,she drew a lot of portraits, especially the Beatles when she was young. Eventually, she became fascinated with abstract art and was drawn to the style.
Debora still lives in Clinton with her husband, Doug. Until recently, she worked as a ‘counselor and art teacher in the Camanche school system. Her
art can be viewed at www.deboralstewart.com
Just like Debora, Larry grew up in Clinton with a love and talent for art. Before moving away from Clinton to Florida in 1985, he taught art at
Clinton High School and Clinton Community College. Larry and his wife, Jacquelyn, also ran a gallery and frame shop in Clinton at one time. ‘
“It’s fun to come back to Clinton after all these years,” Larry said. His art can be viewed at www.larryjdavis.com.
Larry and Debora’s work will hang together at the River Arts Center, 229 Fifth Ave. South, until April 27. A reception for the two artists will be
held from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the gallery. The two friends are excited to be in a show together.
Both artists said people seem to think abstract art is easier than it really is. Larry said that “breaking up that eternal rectangle” can be difficult.
While he has spent much of his career realistically representing objects, such as an apple, he has found he enjoys an abstract take on it much more.
“It’s equally fun to explore just the colors, textures, shapes that all organic things share,” Davis said.
Both agree that some planning does go into their works, even if those plans may change. Larry considers exactly what .colors to use and how they are affected by other colors placed by them. He will often use opposite or complementary colors in his work to make them pop.
“Sometimes a good piece is the result of 10 pieces before it that didn’t work very well,” Debora said. She often bases her work on real objects or
vacations she has taken. Some of her pieces are even influenced by previous work. “I think even the things that I drew realistically at one time, some of those
same lines and shapes come through in
abstract,” Debora said.
(Photographs courtesy of Patricia Bird patriciabirdphotography.com)