Interview
Debbi Saccomanno Chan
Debbi did not become an artist. She was born one and has spent her life perfecting it.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I didn't become an artist. I was born one and have spent my life perfecting it. There hasn't been a time since I was a child that art was not an important part of my life. As thoughts of college loomed, I was faced with a heart wrenching decision. I wanted to be an artist. I had always been one. My love of animals and working as a zookeeper after years of helping raise orphaned or bottle babies from the zoo had made me want to be a zoo veterinarian. Zoo vets barely existed, let alone female vets. I had my way paid to any good vet school and was considering a university in Africa. But troubled teenage years put many thoughts into my head and by the time I was to apply to vet schools, being an artist won out. Art makes me happy. It completes me. It is me. Until I was almost 40, I had been self taught, but I got my art education through the eyes of an artist’s model and from befriending the art professors. You would be surprised by how much I learned. I exhibited quite a lot during my 20's and 30's while working as a zookeeper at the Houston Zoo. I was born in Houston, Texas and stayed until I was 50. I doubt I would have continued living there much longer had I not found the Chinese Master I had been searching to teach me traditional Chinese art and art theory as well as seal carving, Chinese calligraphy, and reading the traditional characters. I studied under Frank Chiu for over 12 years until I took a vacation to Idaho. And I never left. Idaho is where my art and I blossomed. I lived in Orofino, Idaho which has a rich native American history. It's a small mountain town and I was welcomed with open arms and for several years I taught art and gave lectures. After about 3 years, I found 10 acres of very rural land and I have been there ever since.”
What inspires you?
“Everything. But I don't think I have to be inspired. I am extremely prolific and blessed with enough energy I could sell it. I decided early on in my new place that I would keep painting in Traditional Chinese styles but in order to have a signature style in this traditional art, I decided to increase what subjects I painted and not be afraid to include worldly subjects, history, hunting, etc. as subjects in my paintings. My mind takes everything before me and translates it to art. Once the ink is ground and brush taken to hand, a painting is soon completed. I work fast, but only in order to get the energy and essence of my subject to paper or silk. As my love of painting in large folding albums and horizontal scrolls increased, I was painting daily. I would choose the subject before beginning a folding album or horizontal handscroll and over a period of time a story was born. Then, one day about 10 years ago my biggest story was born. I accidently stumbled upon a medieval horse race event in Siena, Italy. Since then, I have painted, carved, and embroidered hundreds of art works from my accidental find. Hundreds of years of culture and history play out in the city's central piazza twice a year. However, the race itself lasts only 90 seconds and is ridden bareback. Landscapes also are a favorite of mine and the landscapes born from traditional Chinese brushwork are the closest to me. I feel the brush spiritually guided as ink touches paper and begins flowing. I have painted Indian wars, circuses, hunting, logging, and the list grows long. I paint things on occasion that I may find I don't particularly like but it is life so I paint on.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“Painting in lengthy scrolls and folding albums, I can tell stories. One of my most unusual themes or subjects was painting a wedding. I was asked to do a painting of a friend's wedding. I painted from the photos she emailed me and at the end the painting was over 70' long. I love to do the unusual and for this wedding, I painted her entire day, all the brides and bridesmaids, best man, dressing, ring, party, food, and such. I would love to paint more events. Hats became a theme and I did a 70' album of hats and the store of a wonderful women who makes and sells hats in the NYC hat district. It was art that brought us together. Many in the royal family have been adorned with her beautiful creations. Even I have one. She made a red top hat for me. Most of my paintings probably don't convey a message because I feel that the person buying my art should create their own.”
How would you describe your work?
“Passionate. For many years now, I work here on the farm surrounded by nature and the animals that I own and those that deicide to visit here. I have painted every day, pretty much all day, for over 15 years. Thanks to the kindness of my neighbor and online purchases, I am able to do this. For 9 years, every Wednesday, I have done a humpday painting. I haven't missed a Wednesday yet. I get involved with my art. Despite the newer mediums I have picked up since arriving here in this remote area they all follow some form of the traditional Chinese painting theory. I am fascinated by perspective or maybe lack of perspective and I know that was what drew me to the Chinese traditional art. They feel the person should come into the painting and freely move through it. Perspective as taught in western art education is more like the viewer looking at the painting, while in traditional Chinese art theory, the viewer enters a painting and explores it from inside. But it was this idea that launched my interest in virtual reality. It is believed that I am the oldest fine artist painting in the new medium. And my embroidered paintings were born from the ancient 'GU' School of Embroidery in China. Here, a painting was partially embroidered with each element enhancing the other. And my carving is in deep relief again following many of the traditional canons found in the bible of traditional Asian painting, ‘the mustard seed garden of painting.’ So, a strong passion for what I do, coupled with culture, tradition, and discipline probably describes the frame I build my art on.”
Which artists influence you most?
“Without me knowing the ‘why’ at first, I found that I was influenced by artists who had been themselves influenced by Asian art. So, Van Gogh and Hockney are at the top of the list. I also love Bruegel. My own teacher, Frank Chiu, leads the way, as he gave me the knowledge to paint what was inside me striving to come out that I myself was not really aware of. Now, it comes together like an Enso or circle of eternity. The Dutch that painted Italy and the impressionists that studied Asian prints and the artists that followed, like David Hockney who became influenced by Asian perspective and composition. And the artists that followed it. My embroidered art is influenced by Helen M. Stevens who stuck by me as I stumbled with needle and thread to make art with these unfamiliar tools. And what I didn't know many years back, was that Helen was first an artist and nature lover whose medium was embroidery and writing. Embroidery can be considered a craft unless it is done by an artist using needle and thread in place of brush or other painting tool.”
What is your creative process like?
“I wake at 4 a.m. and paint in virtual reality (VR) until about 7 a.m. My critters sleep and I have a few quiet hours to myself. I make short videos from the VR paintings during that time as well. The hardest thing I do is decide which of the hundreds of ideas floating in my head or that are on the reference photographs in my files. Anything I see can be a picture and any picture can be done with several mediums. My VR paintings become reels and many of them, I am embroidering. I waste hours some days not looking for inspiration but sorting through the many ideas and which medium I wish to use. But that being said, every day is about creating. I work until sleep takes me away and that might be midnight or before dark. Rarely does a day not see me working at least 9 to 15 hours. I no longer stress over what I draw or paint. It flows freely like a river to the sea.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“I'm not certain artists adhere to roles. I think that is the discipline coming out. But with the birth of internet, an artist has only to go online and say he or she is an artist. I fear AI because I am uncertain about the role of AI. There seems to be less and less truth and more and more difficulty telling reality from no reality. Lies from truth, and scams from business. Will collectors and buyers need to worry about the reality of the art being purchased? I do hope that this evolution will not see more distrust or more need for questioning or accusations.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“I have had a few that were memorable. But most of my shows since coming to Idaho have been online as in VR Galleries or virtual ones such as Exhibbit.com or Artgatevr. I post at least one new painting a day to social media. This morning I had six - 3 paintings and 3 videos. I make art for me and I make art for others. I love to see people remembering something in their past when they see a painting I have done. I also enjoy encouraging others in their creative endeavors. Art should be to each person, a personal experience.”
