We were lucky to catch up with Debbie Clapper recently and have shared our conversation below.

Debbie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

Subconsciously, I knew I wanted to pursue a career as an artist when I was in the third grade. I had started drawing daily, and a classmate and I began making and decorating little pieces of origami art that we turned into art “spinners.” The spinners were a real hit among our peers, so we started selling them at school. I believe they ranged from 10¢–25¢, and I still have a few in my art archives! Unfortunately, we got into trouble for selling the spinners at school and had to shut our operation down (which I think was a huge missed opportunity by the school as it could have been a great segue into teaching grade-schoolers the basics of running a business).

Anyway, I saw how the other students LOVED what we were making, and it lit a fire in me to start creating more art to share with others. From there, I went on to airbrushing t-shirts, drawing people’s names in graffiti-style lettering, doodling tattoos on my friend’s arms with Sharpie markers, and making many other creative customizations for friends and family. I was doing all of this before finishing high school.

Looking back, I can see that the artist-entrepreneur has always been in me. Realizing that my art brought joy to people really stuck with me, and near the end of high school, I truly knew that I would become a professional artist someday.

Debbie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Sure thing! I’m a traditionally trained graphic designer turned full-time artist. I run gneural, my creative studio / moniker, launched in 2001.

At gneural, I create modern abstract geometric art for all sorts of surfaces and situations. You can see my signature, bold geometric designs in murals, interior decor, drawings, and paintings, on streets, sidewalks, and all manner of objects and merchandise. My customers and clients range from brands to public art curators, interior designers, creative directors, and private collectors.

At gneural, I focus on creating murals and public art, immersive art experiences, patterns, and artwork licensing. I deliver high-quality, one-of-a-kind art that inspires, gives hope, and reminds people that they are valuable.

One last thing to note is that I don’t use rulers, straight edges, or compasses when I draw or paint. Over the years I’ve honed the skill of freehand drawing. I let my imagination be free, and I draw (or paint) what I see in my mind’s eye.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Yes, absolutely. There was a time when I worked in-house as the Art Director for a natural foods company in Colorado. I had grown tired of working for one company and became quite depressed. I was considering shutting gneural down entirely, as I wasn’t taking on any side projects or creating any art.

During that time, there was an individual in my life who I had given a pretty significant voice of authority. This person dismissed what I did as an artist and pushed me toward leaving everything I loved about art and creativity to join in on their idea of how life was supposed to be lived.

I went through a very dark period where I didn’t make any art for about a year (which was something I had never gone through before). I didn’t feel like myself. I finally realized that I missed being creative, and I couldn’t handle it anymore, so I started making time to draw again.

As a woman of faith, I started praying about it, and God began to birth freedom in this area of my life again. Soon enough, I was laid off from that full-time job and immediately felt more inspired, creative, and confident in who I was. I began working for myself again. I did not shut gneural down – I moved forward.

Looking back, I see how integral that dark time was for my journey. It helped me learn to appreciate the uniqueness of how I’m made and to remember that creativity matters; art matters. It deepened my connection to the honor that I get to share a facet of God’s creativity with others. And it reminded me that I have the opportunity to help bring out the creativity that lies within each of us. Art bears hope.

When I think back to what has brought me to this place, we all come across people in our lives that try to discourage us. We need to remember that everyone is human, and we all have some level of brokenness in us—partner with people who will encourage you and help you grow.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Most definitely! I create because I want others to feel creative, inspired, hopeful, and valued. We all have creativity in us. It is different for each person, but that is the beauty of creativity. There are no rules around it. It doesn’t have to be a specific thing or looking a certain way. When it comes to creative expression, the possibilities are endless!

This is why I love public art so much – it’s all about encouraging creativity, inspiring others, giving people hope, and letting folks know they are valued. In other words, it’s all about community and unity.

I believe that art bears hope and has the power to bring healing. As long as I’m living, breathing, and able, I will happily share the gift of creativity with others.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://gneural.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gneural/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gneural
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gneural/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/gneural
• Other: https://www.debbieclapper.com/

Image Credits
Ryan Policky, Martika P. Gartman, and Ladd Forde