About the Artist: Deborah Gregg

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February 2023 Issue
About the Cover Artist — Deborah Gregg

"Lighthearted, joyful even, with a bit of the spiritual element...a very good place to be!” This is how Deborah Gregg views her art, and it is an all-encompassing description of her incredible folk art that graces Pink Magazine's cover this month.Artist0223 2

Deborah grew up in Illinois as a middle child with four siblings. She has lived in many places, but the Midwest, with its beautifully changing seasons, captured her heart. She resides in an old farmhouse (complete with flowers and picket fence!) in small town Minnesota. She has two adult daughters, Rigel and Brigitte, four beautiful grandchildren, and you can always find a kitty on her lap.

Deborah was an artist at heart from a very young age, and tried many different styles over the years, including oils, watercolors, and acrylics on different media types, but it wasn't until the Internet came into the picture that she was really able to focus as it blossomed into a full-time occupation. She calls her art business "Chicory Skies,” which she chose for the beautiful blue wildflower that matches the big Nebraska sky under which she lived at the time. She’s painted collectible ACEOs (art cards, editions, and originals) and other small formats. So many little pieces! So many little stories, all inspired by her own life, her childhood, her love of God, gardening, nature, and all things living, great and small. As her business grew, she began selling prints from her originals, too, spreading her love for whimsy, far and wide. Usually producing a painting every day, her work is truly a passion, fulfilled.

Deborah says her ideas and motivation to paint the little scenes she creates follow the seasons as they arrive. The colors, weather, and moods they bring, are so rich and give her an infinite wealth of ideas. "I get lost in my little worlds—hours go by. It seems like I love each brushstroke, each color, adding and sometimes changing things as I work. Things don't always turn out so easy, but for the most part, it has been such a gift."

Deborah's art world has continued to thrive despite a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease, which has caused her to take a hiatus from her paint brush. But, alongside daughter Rigel, she continues to add a touch of whimsy into her collectors' lives. Rigel described growing up amongst her mom's whimsical worlds as: "Mom really notices the little things in life, and she sees beauty everywhere—especially the small details. Growing up with her gave me a deep awareness and appreciation for all of those fleeting and often under-appreciated moments. And of course, I can't walk through my backyard without imagining that something little and winged might be sitting under a mushroom somewhere drinking a very tiny cup of coffee.”

This month's cover art: Bending the Moon's Ear depicts a good friend—just what's needed to share some coffee and do a little venting. The glorious moon needs the coffee, a pick-me-up for the night shift, and she, of course, needs a good listener. Things have been challenging for her lately and a friend who listens makes it bearable and helps clear her head. "Thank you, friend..." And the moon warmly replies, "No Problem, but keep the coffee coming."

Deborah Gregg's Whimsical Folk Art—collectable prints from her original works
can be purchased at www.chicoryskies.com and at her Etsy Shop www.etsy.com/shop/ChicorySkies. With hundreds of different scenes, there is something that will resonate with absolutely everyone!

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