Denise Granger Kerbs & Debbie Andrews

“The Art of Friendship” Exhibit is a celebration of the friendship between  Denise Granger Kerbs and Debbie Andrews who met at the North Valley Art League and over time have become close friends.  Debbie took lessons from Denise who is the more experienced artist.  It is interesting to see how different the student’s style is from her teacher’s, illustrating that art is an individual expression of creativity.

Denise Granger Kerbs

“Paying Tribute to the Intricacies of God’s Creations”

Denise began creating art when she was 12 years old as an assignment for her seventh grade art class. Her parents were so encouraging as they looked at her drawing and said,  “Wow, you must be an artist!”   At that moment she thought,   “Oh, O.K. maybe I am!” So she began drawing everything she could see, painting with whatever mediums were available, and she never stopped.  Her passion grew with every piece of art she created.

Denise is the sixth of seven children and has realized over the years that it is because of her very larger-than-life family that she is drawn to the details in every subject just as she was with each of them. She found that it was not enough to only see the obvious, but rather every nuance of each sibling and that has translated into her art. For her, it is there that her search for truth lies. With the added support of her late-husband, Mark Granger, husband Scott Kerbs, and family, she has been able to continue with her artistic journey. Art has been her refuge and her gift.

She was self taught until she went to college in 2004 and graduated from Chico State in 2007.  There, she earned a BA in Art at the age of 47 and received her CA Teaching Credential in Art one year later.  She loves teaching art and is finding herself at home teaching workshops to fellow artists.  She says “The beauty of it is that I am teacher and student because every artist from beginner to professional has their own unique perspective and aesthetic and I find myself inspired by the way art moves so uniquely in each of us!”

Denise is compelled to enhance and elevate the smallest of elements to capture the life and fervor of her subjects.  She expresses “Although, I may not always be successful in my attempt at such a lofty goal, it is that aspiration that drives me. I do not seek to mirror God’s creations but merely pay homage to this wonderful gift we call life.”

 

Debbie Andrews

Debbie Andrews has lived in Redding, CA for over thirty years. She has been married to her husband Mike for twenty-eight years and they have two sons, Bryce 21 and Tristan 20.

She has been painting consistently since 2009. She took watercolor classes at Shasta College, but her boys were young and they took priority. She says time stands still while painting and is a wonderful mystery, but the world doesn’t wait.

Debbie has taken part in many workshops and had instruction from artist’s such as Ken Hosmer, Jeannie Vodden, Fealing Lin, Vinita Pappas and many others. She says, “Every time I take a workshop, I learn something valuable; each Artist has a different technique or creative idea to share.”

She looks for subjects that tell a story and have a unique composition. Her paintings are rich with color, movement, and emotion. When painting a non-representational art piece, she always begins with color choices and placement. Her environment is equally as rich with beautiful music and she loses herself in the painting.

Debbie feels art is a gift from God. She knows she is blessed to have a way to express herself creatively and is grateful for the special people in her life who have been supportive and inspirational.

She passes on this advice:
“Don’t be afraid to try something new and stop telling yourself that you can’t or that you aren’t gifted. You will be surprised….open the gift!”