Sunset Palm ©2016 DSR #beachpaintings #contemporaryart

©2016 Debbi Smith Rourke

Sunset Palm 24"x24"

Oil on gallery-wrapped canvas

Available via ArtfulGalleries.com

Have so enjoyed painting my beach series. I took some inspiring pics this summer on South Padre Island, and I have a bunch from my trip to the Mayan Riviera. I try to capture the evocative spirit of these exotic regions so we can remember the magic right here at home. 

Vertical Views ©DSR #debbismithrourke #sidexside

©2015 Debbi Smith Rourke

Vertical Views 30"x24"

Oil on gallery-wrapped canvas

$1100 + sh/h
Contact me for purchase

Inspired by Austin's DT scene. As a fifth-generation Austinite I've seen it change immensely over the years.

Rising Bubbles ©

©2013 Debbi Smith Rourke

Rising Bubbles 30"x24"

Oil on gallery-wrapped canvas / unframed (no frame needed)
 $1300 + $70 sh/h in US
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My husband "commissioned" me to paint two large works for our entry wall. This is the study for the left diptych panel. Right panel is here. Overall, Jim wants something colorful and dramatic that pops out at you when you walk in the door. So nice he wants my artwork front and center. :-) Soon I will enlarge each panel to 4'x3.' BIG!

I am loving this world of abstracts and exploring new avenues and techniques. Here, I was trying to convey a flurry of activity. Can you feel the movement of the bubbles floating up in sea of color, like schools of exotic fish?

Poolside ©

©2013 Debbi Smith Rourke

Poolside 6x8" 

Oil on archival panel framed in natural wood and black float frame
$250 framed + $25 sh/h
Available on ArtfulGalleries.com

I've been painting but I haven't been posting. So I'm catching up. This little abstract was so fun. The colors are from a poolside photo I found. Feel pool-like to you?  That's the fun of abstract. It is what you want it to be. What do you see?

Springtime Drive ©

©2013 Debbi Smith Rourke

Springtime Drive  11"x14" 

Oil on canvas / Framed in natural wood and black frame
$525 + sh/h 
Contact me for purchase

I love taking drives through the Texas hill country each spring. You have to hit it at just the right time of the season. Despite recent droughts, we were blessed to have a beautiful spring last year. This was painted from a photo I took on the famous Willow City Loop near Fredericksburg in 2012. I did a quick under painting which I took to my Sandy Ostrau workshop in January and played around using Sandy's techniques. Artist Nancy Hartley stored it for me til it dried and mailed it to me. Then I swirled some more paint around using the palette knife and a brush or two, leaving some original painting showing through, and landed on this gem. I love it. Hope it brings you joy as well. 

Wine Country ©

© Debbi Smith Rourke

Wine Country 24"x24"

Oil on gallery-wrapped canvas / unframed (no frame needed)

$1050 + $70 sh/h in Contiguous US

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I am continuing on my path of painting abstracted landscapes, using both brushwork and multiple types of palette knife application. Experimenting is SO MUCH FUN. I just get into a zone and paint up a storm. I love the looseness of this and the vibrant colors. I painted this scene from the CA wine country a few years back in a small format, in a more traditional landscape style. But I am loving this new direction. What do you think??

Amy Hillenbrand, Bill Oakey and I installed 25 paintings today in two large display cases in the Scarborough Building main 6th Street lobby here in Austin. Was fun and looks so wonderful. Will let you know if we are able to plan a reception. Hope you'll have a chance to view my 16 paintings, including 8 new works. It's up through early to mid April. Hoping to catch some SXSW attendees.

Healing Light

©Debbi Smith Rourke

Healing Light  30x24"

Oil on .5" gallery-wrapped canvas  / unframed (no frame needed)

 $1300 + sh/h in Contiguous US

Contact me for purchase

This is special to me. I often get "downloads" or inspirations from my angels. One Saturday morning last fall, I woke up and received what I now consider a powerful light healing meditation. That morning, my mind was quiet and happy and blank. I was lying down. All of a sudden I started getting mental images of large squares of white light, about six feet by six feet, thin like a dryer sheet, going through my body starting at my feet and up to my head and surrounding space around me. They swashed though me one by one and then started coming faster and faster till it was just one strong light at my feet shining through me like a big strobe light. The thought came to me: "purification." Then I started seeing, in my minds-eye remember not thru my eyes, dark inky-blue purple light coming up my body, starting with my toes and slowing moving up my body. The thought / word came to me: "fortification." I understood that all the cells in my body were being fortified. This took several minutes - was slow like a software download on the computer. Finally, I saw a burst or flash of vibrant red light shoot up my spine to my neck. The word/thought came: "repair/reparation." I've had disc surgery in my neck and I have referred pain occasionally from this. Thus, the red repair light appeared where it was optimum for ME. So purify, fortify and repairing of cells must be the optimum way to heal. Works for me!!!!

I was inspired to paint this "Healing Light" piece so everyone could do this light healing meditation. The large white-ish area above represents the purifying white light. I put a Roman numeral I at the bottom right to indicate it is the first passage of light. The purple is actually next, so I put a II symbol in the bottom right. There is a tiny III in the red area. So now you can do your own "light healing" meditation. I am sure it was meant for all!! 

This painting is available. It uses techniques I am embracing - layers, varying thicknesses and using bold brush strokes and a variety of palette knife styles of application. It will be exhibited in the Scarborough Building main 6th street lobby from March 3 thru mid April. After that, any interested buyer can take it home. :-)

Fall Countryside Study

©Debbi Smith Rourke

   Fall Countryside Study    8 x 8 x 1.5
Oil on gallery wrapped canvas.  
$210 + $15 sh/h in contiguous US

I love to take photos on road trips - when I'm the passenger that is! We went to Galveston last fall for my husband's family reunion of the Cantini family. Italian family reunion at the racetrack on the mainland - we didn't actually go into Galveston this trip. On the way back I was snapping photos a plenty. This one struck a chord with me and had to paint it. Hope to enlarge soon!