Every scarf by Deboragh McDonnell is individually handpainted and signed, making each one-of-a-kind. Using traditional French and Japanese dyes, all scarves are colorfast and can be hand washed.
Silk
Approximately 13.5'" x 66.5"
Made in Tucson, Arizona
Artists' Statement
I am a self-taught artist who has been drawing and painting since childhood. I spent the largest part of my life in the southwest after living in over a half dozen places throughout the USA, including the Navajo Indian Reservation.
I graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Biology & Math with a minor in Scientific Illustration and English Literature and have worked most of my adult life in the area of biomedical research, while continuing to do freelance work as a scientific illustrator for manuscripts and books.
In the 1970s, I began to paint photorealistic watercolors of desert wildlife and botanicals. In 1986, one of my scientific illustrations was chosen, along with others from around the country, by the Smithsonian Institute to be featured in the Natural History Museum for the summer. My illustration of a tree frog appeared in the June issue of Smithsonian magazine.
In 1994, I went to Japan to attend a scientific meeting. While visiting museums, I discovered and fell in love with the hand painted kimonos. I took classes in silk painting while I was in Japan. After coming back home, I met Rosemary Cohen, PhD. at Atelier de Paris in Los Angeles. She has vast knowledge of the French techniques of silk painting and been a mentor, coach, and friend for many years.
Inspired by the desert and its inhabitants, I have focused on abstract designs and color. That provided a wonderful balance between the detail of science and the freedom of silk painting. I am now retired and free to spend many more hours in my studio.
