Sarah Brown
Deb Brock’s pencil and pastels artwork is now on display at Sweet Home City Hall as part of the Sweet Home Oregon Coalition For Artistic & Scholastic Enrichment’s Art Show program.
Her show, “Reflections on the West,” features finely-detailed studies of western culture, seen in such subject matters as buffalo, cowboys and Native Americans. Custom-made frames by her husband, David Brock, further enhance the simple ruggedness yet detailed texture of her designs.
“Just nature in itself, and country, is my love,” she said. “I try to reflect what I love to do.”
A reception for her show will be held on Thursday, Oct. 12, at 4 p.m., at City Hall, 3225 Main St.
Brock describes her artistic style as “western, mostly animals, in a realistic value.” Most of her lifetime of work was done using pencil. Working with pastels is still a little new to her, she said, and finds the task a little daunting.
“What I’m still learning about pastels is it’s a little frustrating because I can’t get the detail in that I do with my pencil,” she said.
When she was 2 years old, Brock’s aunt made her a Humpty Dumpty doll and, apparently, she liked it so much that she drew a picture of it. Thus began her interest in art. Using pencil and crayon, she continued drawing and soon expanded her subject matter into the country life that surrounded her. Horses may be her most particularly favorite subject matter, which comes as no surprise when one learns she has owned the creatures most of her life.
“Being around horses so much all my life, I get to know every little detail, every little nook and cranny about them,” she said.
After her mom passed away in 2008, David encouraged Deb to begin drawing larger images because, at that time, she was only doing “little things here and there.” He also encouraged her to expand her horizon further by sharing her art at county fairs while they lived in central Oregon.
The Brocks moved to Sweet Home in 2020 following retirement, but Deb continues to enter her artwork at regional county fairs. Currently, her work is on display at an art gallery in Prineville, as well as at Brownsville Art Association.
“My art comes from the heart, as I am ‘self taught,'” she said. “The smallest realistic detail to make it ‘come to life’ is my goal and enjoyment.”