Deb Witte

by Christi Marsico
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 2:49 PM MST

Whether it's a table or a fiddle, painting what she loves is at the heart of Deb Witte's designs, which are not only bright and vivid, but also showcase her innovative glass-like finish.

Born in Louisiana, Witte has lived in Wyoming for more than 20 years and in Casper for five years.

As a child, she wasn't exposed to art much. That has changed since her flair for color and designs has evolved from hair dresser to pioneering artist.

When Witte began taking art classes at Laramie County Community College while living in Cheyenne in 1995, she became exposed to a new world of creative composition.

"My first assignment was to draw and paint a food item, and I chose an avocado, which I painted on a 15x10 canvas. Instantly, I fell in love with painting, especially up-close compositions of simple lines and colors."

That love of color soon became enveloped in many media from watercolors to acrylics, with which Witte soon crafted a new way to shine in what she calls her "Color Intensifying Technique."

"This technique has truly changed my way of painting," Witte said.

She is in the process of getting a trademark and copyright for her technique, which she first applied to a canvas. Later, Witte decided a stronger material like wood panels would work better.

"Canvases breathe too much, and the finish would go through the fibers, so I experimented with wood," Witted noted.

Soon after, a friend suggested painting a table. She used the technique on one, and a whole new inspiration for table-top designs emerged.

The process from start to finish may be time-consuming, but the end result is a shine so original that, according to Witte, “when the finish goes on, it becomes a whole different piece."

Witte's neighbor Jerry Tanlin makes her furniture, which she then primes, paints and finishes.

Sketching a design beforehand is the first step to Witte's works.

She then uses chalk to draw her designs, usually with a black background incorporating her sketches of circles, squares and other shapes, onto the table tops.

Then, Witte applies her color-intensifying technique as she sees fit.

"A lot of work goes into this," she noted.

With strong support from her husband Gene and their three kids, Witte feels confident in overcoming her challenges and accomplishing her goals.

"One challenge I deal with is perfecting my finish, which needs to be done in a controlled environment,” Witte said.

“One of my goals is to have my own studio one day where I can do everything in one place."

Her artwork has been displayed in several venues, including projects like the Nicolaysen Art Museum & Discovery Center and the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra's "Color of Music," for which she painted a violin.

She also was featured on a PBS special about “Wyoming Portraits.”

Witte continually is preparing her portfolio for future shows, while many of her current pieces can be viewed at the Rising Lotus or at her Web site, www.debwitte.com.

According to her artist statement, Witte loves to use vivid colors to paint her world view, and she is reminded that there are no limits.

"My love of color is what motivates me every day," Witte noted.

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