1 – Deb DeCicco has been a self taught, free-lance artist for over 30 years, working in Moku
Hanga Wood-block prints, fiber arts, book arts, drawing and watercolor. She has studied at the
MFA School and the Kaji Aso Studio,Boston; with Matt Brown, April Volmer and other
printmakers. Deb was the Director of the School of Arts and Crafts at the Sharon Arts Center for
10 years. She designed and crafted a line of handbags that sold in 40 stores in 6 states.
2 – There was never one moment when I knew I wanted to be an artist. I was just always
creating. Sometimes they were traditional art pieces. Sometimes I was designing and making
clothing and handbags,making baskets, designing and supervising the building of a post and
beam house. But always there was drawing.
3 – People may be surprised to know that when I’m making a detailed botanical drawing in
colored pencil, I always remember the days when I was a child, designing clothes for paper
dolls and coloring them with colored pencil. Yes, I still have a few!
4 – While my art comes in different media, I think it is best described as joyful botanical images.
5 – The art project I am most proud of is the exhibit that I initiated and set up for the special
education students and clients at Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center. Their work was
completely unique, beautiful and educational for everyone who viewed the show.
6 – My art process may begin with an effort to capture something in nature that interests me. I
begin with the part that most captures my attention for its beauty or complexity. Then I select
and discard sections of the scene to suit the composition.
I consider and assess the composition continuously.
7 – My art making time and place is different each day but when I sit down to work on a piece I
begin by assessing the pros and cons of the piece as it stands and decide on the most
important aspect to work on at that time; what the piece needs. Sometimes the piece I’m
working on gets to a place where I’m not sure what’s next so I set that aside and start a new
work or do something toward artmaking that’s not actually making art; read and look at art
books, clean or reorganize the space and supplies, consider matting and framing etc.
8 – The most delightful part of my life outside of artmaking is spending time with my friends and
family.