Meet the artist

Debra Tinker

When I was a child, I was fascinated by my older sister’s art supplies, but I did not recognize my own art abilities until adulthood. I began my journey into art when I was in my thirties, making art-to-wear, and learning fabric manipulation and dyeing. Now I have extensive experience drawing and painting in watercolors, oils, acrylics, gouache, both soft and oil pastels, colored pencils, water soluble colored pencils, and encaustics. In addition, I hand-build pottery, design and create mosaics, and currently have been learning to block print, felt wool, and weave.  Also, I have been making costume jewelry, including mosaicked jewelry I hope to start selling soon. For practical reasons, I no longer weld or forge. I currently hold membership in the Springfield (Virginia) Art Guild (SAG); The Society of American Mosaic Artists (SAMA); and, as a Navy veteran, I am an avid participant in the Patriot Arts Foundation. The portrait is from a self portrait executed in watercolors.