Debra Disman

Artist

  •

Juried Show

“Contemplating Boundaries” at the Korean Culture Center with Launch LA

By

I am thrilled to be a part of “Contemplating Boundaries”, a group exhibition presented at the Korean Culture Center of Los Angeles in conjunction with Launch LA, a Los Angeles Institution and brainchild of James Panozzo.

JULY 27 – AUGUST 18, 2023

Boundaries exist in all cultures-often as social constructs serving to regulate our actions, norms, taboos, and space. They may be codified laws, common societal traditions, or even self-imposed rules. 

“Contemplating Boundaries” brings together artists from across Southern California whose practices contemplate and reflect barriers, labels and limits- whatever their origin or purpose. These artists and their works- define our times, providing an authentic lens to view contemporary culture.

JURORS

TeaYoun Kim-Kassor (Professor, Department Chair, Otis College of Art and Design)  TeaYoun Kim-Kassor (Phonetically, TaeYun: “Tea” as in “Taylor” & “Youn” as in “Sun”) is originally from South Korea and has a varied background in education; she received academic degrees in S. Korea, Japan, and the U.S.  As an artist, educator, and cultural ambassador, she has been developing her artistic path, teaching pedagogy, leadership, and management skills to embark on transnational education and emphasize the importance of understanding global perspectives. She is currently a Professor and Department Chair of the Foundation Program at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, CA.

Mika Cho (Professor, ART/Director, Cal State LA Fine Arts Gallery) Dr. Mika Cho was appointed as Special Assistant to the President for Arts and the director of the Cal State LA Fine Arts Gallery in 2017. Prior to her appointment as the director of the Fine Arts Gallery she served as the chair of the Art Department. She is art educator, researcher, educational consultant, curator and visual artist, the last comprising numerous exhibitions at museums and galleries. Her research interests are in art-related and educational issues, which she shares through publications and extensive conference presentations nationally and internationally.


I am showing:

“Profusion”, 8.75″ x 24.5″ x 7.75″, book board, mulberry paper, paint, canvas, watercolor paper, hemp cord

and


“The Gates”, 7.5″ x 20″ x 10.25″, book board, canvas, cheese cloth, jute cord, string

EXHIBITIONISTA: “Contemplating Boundaries” at the Korean Cultural Center

By

I am thrilled to participate in “Contemplating Boundaries“,

A LAUNCH LA OPEN CALL GROUP EXHIBITION

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

THE KOREAN CULTURAL CENTER, LOS ANGELES

JULY 27th – AUGUST 18th, 2023

Boundaries exist in all cultures-often as social constructs serving to regulate our actions, norms, taboos, and space. They may be codified laws, common societal traditions, or even self-imposed rules. 

“Contemplating Boundaries” brings together artists from across Southern California whose practices contemplate and reflect barriers, labels and limits- whatever their origin or purpose. These artists and their works- define our times, providing an authentic lens to view contemporary culture.

 

JURORS

TeaYoun Kim-Kassor (Professor, Department Chair, Otis College of Art and Design)  TeaYoun Kim-Kassor (Phonetically, TaeYun: “Tea” as in “Taylor” & “Youn” as in “Sun”) is originally from South Korea and has a varied background in education; she received academic degrees in S. Korea, Japan, and the U.S.

As an artist, educator, and cultural ambassador, she has been developing her artistic path, teaching pedagogy, leadership, and management skills to embark on transnational education and emphasize the importance of understanding global perspectives.

She is currently a Professor and Department Chair of the Foundation Program at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, CA.

Mika Cho (Professor, ART/Director, Cal State LA Fine Arts Gallery) Dr. Mika Cho was appointed as Special Assistant to the President for Arts and the director of the Cal State LA Fine Arts Gallery in 2017. Prior to her appointment as the director of the Fine Arts Gallery she served as the chair of the Art Department. She is art educator, researcher, educational consultant, curator and visual artist, the last comprising numerous exhibitions at museums and galleries. Her research interests are in art-related and educational issues, which she shares through publications and extensive conference presentations nationally and internationally.

 

EXHIBITIONISTA: SAFEKEEPING: SDA’s 2023 Member Exhibition

By

I am thrilled to be a part of “SAFEKEEPING“, the 2023 Member Exhibition of the Surface Design Association! (SDA)

EXHIBITION THEME:

This is a time for safeguarding both body and land, for seeking refuge through ritual and narrative, and for defending precarious boundaries and issues.

Sanctuary Cities, Nature Conservancies, Safe Houses, Communities of Care are at the forefront of public consciousness. As an artist, how do you sustain both the earth and its communities? How do you protect yourself in body and spirit as well as strengthen connections with others? How can you tend values that matter most? How do you use heritage, ritual, and the making process to anchor yourself? Safekeeping brings together works that explore these questions and the role artists play in stewarding communities, values, and the earth.

 Safekeeping will celebrate works that push the evolution of textiles through the use of color, design, processes, and meanings.

View the Show HERE!
Listen to the Artists’ Talk HERE!

JUROR

Born in Oklahoma, Anita Fields is a contemporary Native American multi-disciplinary artist of Osage heritage. She is known for her works which combine clay and textile with Osage knowledge systems. Fields explores the intricacies of cultural influences at the intersection of balance and chaos found within our existence, explaining that: “The power of transformation is realized by creating various forms of clothing, coverings, landscapes, and figures. The works become indicators of how we understand our surroundings and visualize our place within the world.” In this way, the early Osage concepts of duality, such as earth and sky, male and female, are represented throughout her work.

IMPORTANT DATES: 

*June 2, 2023: Exhibition Opening, First Friday Art Crawl
*June 21, 2023: Textile Talk Virtual Program
*July 23, 2023: Exhibition Closes

Material III at the D’Art Center

By

I am thrilled to be showing in MATERIAL III at the D’Art Center, “an exhibition of original fiber artworks from across the country highlighting the quality and variety of artworks utilizing fiber as a major component, including non-functional, 2D, 3D, fine art, and fine craft in fiber including mixed media works, in a variety of styles, co-curated by gallery manager Amanda Bradley and exhibition juror, Ryan Lytle.”
Kudos to Amanda for hanging my piece, “Before the Fall”  in such a great way!

I am honored to be honorably mentioned!

Congratulations to our award winners:
Honorable Mentions
Debra Disman from Los Angeles, CA for her fiber art sculptural book, Before the Fall.
Statement: Inspired by the book, my work has evolved into a focused material exploration driven by a visceral relationship with cloth, thread, cord and string. I engage the actions of folding, stitching, tearing, cutting and gluing in a continual effort to build and create, tear and break down, heal and repair, as a way of navigating the tension of opposites. While referencing the book as structure, the work has moved progressively into other conceptual realms where devotion to material labor and a passion for the haptic become powerful motivators and themes.

See the Live, In-Person AWARDS EVENT HERE!

Exhibitionista: Material III at d’Art Center

By

I am thrilled to be showing in MATERIAL III, an exhibition of original fiber artworks from across the country highlighting the quality and variety of artworks utilizing fiber as a major component, including non-functional, 2D, 3D, fine art, and fine craft in fiber including mixed media works, in a variety of styles, co-curated by gallery manager Amanda Bradley and exhibition juror, Ryan Lytle.

I am showing “BEFORE THE FALL“, a sculptural book that is hung!

See the Live, In-Person AWARDS EVENT HERE!

The Fantasticalness of Fiber

By

I was honored to participate in FANTASTIC FIBERS 2021 at the Yeiser Art Center.
What a fantastic experience!

“One of  Yeiser Art Center’s most engaging and innovative international exhibitions, FANTASTIC FIBERS is showcasing a wide range of outstanding contemporary works related to the fiber medium.”

HISTORY:
The show began in 1987 as a wearable art show but has evolved over the years to include a compelling mix of traditional and non-traditional works created from natural or synthetic fibers, and work that addresses the subject or medium of fiber.  Paducah becomes a Mecca for quilters and quilt enthusiasts each April as more than 30,000 visitors from across the globe attend AQS QuiltWeek. 

I showed “PROFUSION”  a sculptural Artists’ Book made of book board, mulberry paper, paint, canvas, watercolor paper and hemp cord. It stands upright on a pedestal, shelf, table or another surface parallel to the floor. When opened, it can span up to 24.5″ wide:

JUROR:  Sandra Johnson
“My quilt journey started over 30 years ago and I continue to be inspired by the myriad of fabrics and techniques learned over time. I am a passionate teacher who encourages students to create unique fabric creations, whether the end product is a quilt or garment. Creating what is important to the maker is a joyful experience that I try to pass on in my workshops. Wherever you are in your design process my goal is to inspire your creative “genius” and improve your techniques. 
Hand sewing with my grandmother started it all. From the beginning, the process of transforming fabric into art struck me as magical. Sewing was the foundation that led me into quilting. What started as a hobby turned my passion into an artistic reality.
I love to hand stitch using the traditional Japanese Sashiko and Boro embroidery styles and incorporating them as a decorative feature into my designs. The concrete, repetitive nature of this work frees my imagination provides many opportunities for happy accidents and grace to influence the finished product.
My core materials for quilting are thread and fabric, however, I often employ recycled denim, yarns, dyed fabrics and stamps to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. I hold a B.S. in Clothing, Textiles and Design from Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
Recently, I discovered modern quilting: simple, crayoned patchworks that resonate deeply with my fiber work. Inspired and invigorated by a renewed sense of continuity, and awed by the mystery of how creation occurs, my process allows me to explore visions to enable my creative work to evolve and grow.” 

TOUR THE SHOW!!!!