New Writers Portrait Illustration: Miss Emily Bronte!

Here's my latest painting in my Writers Portrait series, the lovely Emily Bronte! She is best know for writing one the classics of English literature, the heartbreaking book, Wuthering Heights!

Debra Styer, Emily Bronte and her Wuthering Heights, 2014

“He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”
― Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights

When painting her, I imagined her standing amongst the windswept moors featured at the center of her book. She is hand painted with watercolor and gouache on illustration board. It was pretty interesting to try to get a good likeness because all the portraits of Emily are different. But I feel that my painting managed to capture a good glimpse of her. What do you think?

In reality, Emily Bronte died young, at age 30, of tuberculosis, and sadly didn't have much a love life of her own (that we know about anyway). But she managed to created two of the most passionate, yet sad, characters ever created. Heathcliff and Catherine will remain one of the worlds most beloved romantic, and tortured, couples in literature.

You can find my Emily Bronte art print in my shop!

Hope you like her! Who should I paint next?

New Artwork: The Wish

Here's my latest Edwardian inspired illustration, "The Wish".

 

As a kid I lived on a small farm where we had fields of dandelions, I couldn't help myself making wishes and then blowing the seeds into the wind. I have a pretty amazing life, I guess my wishes did come true!

I have to wonder, do kids still do this?

I am also absolutely in love with the beautiful white lawn dresses the girls wore in the early 1900's and loved being able to include one in my drawings.

Debra Styer, The Wish, 2014

If you want to check out some amazing lawn dresses, I highly recommend checking out one of my all time favorite films, Peter Weir's 1975 masterpiece, A Picnic at Hanging Rock.

First of all, the film takes place in 1900, and the sets and costumes design are amazing. Secondly, it is based on a true story that blends a perfect amount of of mystery and spookiness. It is truly a breathtaking film to watch...

"The Wish" is now available in the Shop!

New Work - Meet Miss Ruth!

Hi Everyone! I just wanted to share Miss Ruth, the latest illustration in my Victorian Portrait series "Ladies & Gents".




Ruth is a 38 year old mystic looking for love!

Miss Ruth was really fun to draw. It was also fun to play with my love of Polka Dots (or stars perhaps)! In the future, I'm going to experiment with some new textures and fabric design in the next few paintings.

If you are interested my limited edition Miss Ruth print, as well as all the other, "Ladies & Gents", is now available in my shop.

I hope you like her.

P.S. I have been reading The Barbary Coast (An Informal History of the San Francisco Underworld) by Herbert Asbury.  This tells about the dark history of San Francisco from the Gold Rush era, c.1949 to the Great Earthquake in 1906. Asbury writes about so many amazing crazy characters, I can help to add at least a few to the series. I highly recommend this book! You can look at San Francisco the same again...