After a long detour through teaching, raising a family and the corporate world, Deb Kaylor has finally come back to her first love. In 2004, she began studying at the Art Students League of Denver and in September 2007, she took that giant leap of faith and has been able to do what she is wired to do…to paint full time!Deb considers herself a representational painter with a contemporary bent. However, she’ll be the first to tell you that her painting must be more than a good likeness or honest representation. It must tell a story and create a mood. “Each painting is an adventure and I’m never sure of the outcome,” she says. “That’s the fun of it.” Each painting is a careful choice of subject matter and is painted over many times in her mind before a paint brush is ever put to the canvas. However, there is always that element of the painting taking on a life of its own. Working in oils and pastels, Deb’s subject matter ranges from landscapes to portraiture.Deb’s paintings represent ordinary themes. They are all either from her “backyard” or trails she walks or places that she has enjoyed with family and friends. They are universal and meant to convey the enjoyment and appreciation of life…either by observation or participation.Deb’s focused on pastoral settings came from following the path blazed by her great-great-grandfather, Horatio Shaw, who was a farmer-painter from Michigan. Shaw studied for 2 years with Thomas Eakins and posthumously had 46 of his drawings and paintings displayed at the Smithsonian Museum in 1973-74.Deb lives with her husband in Aurora, Colorado, where she paints in her home studio. She is a member of the Oil Painters of America, Allied Artists of America, and a signature member of both the Pastel Society of America and the Pastel Society of Colorado. She is active in the Art Students League of Denver where she still continues to enjoy the camaraderie of her fellow teachers and students. Her art continues to be accepted in to major national shows, win awards, and can be found in many corporate and private collections throughout the U.S.