Debby Koonce

Artist Statement

A painter of landscapes who specializes in the exploration of the uses of light and shadow in oil and acrylic media, Debby Koonce is inspired by vistas, architecture, quaint alleyways, gated compounds and garden settings. These challenging studies reflect the light of different times of the day and the changing seasons. Her sense of color and scale and interplay of dark and light are focused to create a feeling of realism that is heightened by imagination.

Debby has been drawing and painting from a very early age. Moving from charcoal to pastels to oil painting, she transitioned from still life to dynamic paintings of landscapes and architecture. She developed a love for painting outdoor where she is challenged and inspired by the actual light and the passing day. Her plein air paintings are spontaneous impressionistic translations of her natural surroundings. Her compositions are fresh depictions of shadows, sunlight, atmosphere, and color.

She is a member of the Lamorinda Arts Alliance, the Eugene O’Neill Foundation, the Alamo Danville Artists’ Society, the Blackhawk Gallery in Danville, the Valley Art Gallery in Walnut Creek and the Moraga Art Gallery. She was honored to be a 2008 White House Christmas ornament artist. She has also painted several murals and is adept at capturing scenes or special events for her clients. She is an exhibitor at venues throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.