Deb Schradieck

There are two words that best describe my work: Color and Light.  Fortunately, the Cape Ann landscape provides plenty of both. Like so many before me, I take inspiration from the harborfront, the architecture, and the distinctive motifs such as the yellow dory, the Paint Factory, the Good Harbor footbridge; as well as ordinary street scenes and landscapes. 

 I favor watercolor and thoroughly enjoy the way the paint flows and absorbs into the paper. My style is unusual in its attention to detail and vibrant color, which is achieved by glazing so that one color works with another. This, combined with super-realistic rendering, defines my style. I spend a great deal of time and effort with the camera to capture both the right composition and light.  I then work from the photos in my studio. The light that I find so enticing is elusive; the best way to capture and hold it is with a digital image.

Able to draw well from an early age, I was encouraged by parents who were both talented artistically. I graduated from Mass College of Art with a degree in Illustration in 1981, but never found a satisfying way to make a career out of it. After many years of raising a family, doing artwork here and there, and pursuing a full-time career in real estate sales, I finally decided it was time to get back to painting. During those years I had created a side business doing pen-and-ink drawings of houses. Literally, hundreds of them were (and still are) being produced. The unintended result was that my drawing skills improved dramatically.  After a few classes at the Worcester Art Museum to brush up on watercolor and oils, I began to paint in earnest. I joined the Rocky Neck Art Colony, placed my work there, and was juried into the North Shore Arts Association. I show and sell my work in several locations in Gloucester and at local shows and events.

Having resided in central Massachusetts my entire life, we started around 2006 going to Gloucester in our boat. Once ashore I totally fell in love with it. We moved our boat to a marina there, and eventually purchased a property near Good Harbor Beach. Married to Peter for 27 years, we have two adult children and continue to enjoy boating, walking and biking on Cape Ann whenever we can.