I am a semi-abstract landscape artist, meditation teacher, Positive Psychology practitioner/coach and tinnitus management adviser.
Aim and Inspiration
I am aiming to find, through exploring open awareness, quietude, also, solitude, stillness, and silence through which deeper meanings, self-discovery, and transcendence can be found. I am drawn to the work of artists Agnes Martin, Celia Paul, Georgia O’Keefe, and Evelyn Williams.
My artwork is autobiographical exploring experiences and emotions connected to my observations of the movement of sky, sea, river and where they meet the land. I am drawn to the way there is always change, yet we see them as a constant presence; just as we are the same and yet change all the time.
I explore the connections between myself and the natural world mainly through observation and imagination but also memory, and I draw or paint, mainly in acrylic.
Teacher and Coach
Along with discovering quietude for myself I wish to explore this with others and help them to find it in their own ways too. I do this through my art practice but also through my meditation teaching and art-based positive psychology coaching.
Meditation
I have been practicing meditation and
mindfulness for over 20 years and trained as an evidence-based meditation and
mindfulness teacher with Dr Itai Ivtzan's School of Positive Transformation
which is accredited with the IMMA. I now teach 1:1 and with small groups
of up to 6 people.
Background and Qualifications
I graduated from Bucks New University (2021)
with a Distinction for my MSc in Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) using
art-based research. My research work was on creating a personal language with
which to visualize my emotional responses to music. As a hearing-impaired
artist I wanted to be able to preserve these emotional memories in a visual
format and I am interested in hearing differences and aural diversity. I also studied
Positive Psychology in Coaching at Bucks New University with Dr Ceri Sims
(which is approved by the BPS).
I originally trained in theatre and have a
B.A. (Hons) from Kent University and studied Theatre Direction at The Drama
Studio, London. I worked for several years in London, theatre making, designing,
and teaching.
After experiencing burnout, leaving me with
bouts of extreme anxiety, I left London and discovered the therapeutic
benefits of working outside in nature by looking after my parents garden. I
gradually became responsible for looking after my parents too.
During this time, I studied horticulture
(N.C.H) and botany, working part-time as a gardener and in nurseries, along
with caring for my parents. But, I have always made drawings, it is part of who I am. I discovered the joys of botanical drawing through studying with artist
Lorna Minton and painting with acrylics with Nicola Slattery.
My art education is from part-time study at Wimbledon School of Art, Sir John Cass, and Bucks New University where I gained a Higher Education Certificate in Creative Arts. I gained a teaching certificate with Bucks College to teach adults and I have taught at the Adult Dyslexia Centre , Maidenhead and Henley College along with running my own workshops and art groups. During lock-down along with writing my master’s Dissertation, I further developed my own drawing practice with The Royal Drawing School.
I have exhibited my work with Bucks Open Studios, Marlow Art Trail, Art on the Street, Maidenhead and other local exhibitions, and via theatre work in London and Edinburgh. My work ranges from large scale backdrops for theatre to mini 4 x 6 inches wooden panels.
I am interested in researching into art-based coaching, and combining drawing with positive psychology.
As a hearing-impaired artist who also experiences tinnitus, the world is never silent. I explore losing silence and what this means for me and how to rethink silence, and share this with others.
I combine my art practice with teaching, coaching, and research. I am also a Tinnitus Adviser (trained by Tinnitus UK) and co-leader of the Marlow Tinnitus Support Group. See here for dates of our meetings.
Purchasing artwork
To purchase artwork please contact me by filling in your details on the contact form HERE
or contact me:
at debbiejaneperry@gmail.com
Finding Quietude
If you would like to
explore how to Find Quietude for yourself or with a small group click here Finding Quietude