We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Debbie Korbel. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Debbie below.

Debbie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

For me, becoming an artist wasn’t a clear-cut objective; it was more like putting a frog into a pot of water that is slowly being brought to a boil—except instead of a disastrous outcome, I became a professional artist—and it seemed to happen so gradually I didn’t realize I had been “cooked.” I suppose in retrospect, I should have seen where I was headed, but in all honesty, I didn’t.

Debbie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m primarily a sculptor and I work with many unusual materials to create a kind of wild and unconventional art. I use found objects like wood, metal scraps, glass and rubber and I combine those things with my original sculpture to create sensual, dreamlike sculpture—some of which is a bit provocative, hopefully amusing and not for the easily offended. I have been very fortunate to have had my work on several television shows, in national magazine and newspaper articles and to have Steven Tyler, of Aerosmith as one of my collectors.

I often like to inject some humor into my work. Humor is a connector. Even strangers sharing a laugh feel that connection. That’s why it’s so much fun to see comedians or funny movies with an audience as opposed to solitary viewing. Our own happiness is increased exponentially when that happiness is shared. I have another series of work which is also made from reclaimed objects called “Bad Plastic.” This series uses materials such as: dolls, books, and other toys. The series initially came about because I was trying to make my friends laugh. Of course, as my behavior was rewarded, I thus created the series which now includes free-standing sculpture and wall hanging art. My personality is a bit irreverent so it’s no surprise that that attitude seeped into my artwork.

have always enjoyed writing poetry and short stories and it was a natural progression for me to write song lyrics. I was fortunate to work with a very talented musician/producer, Paulo Sbrighi, on several songs together. We have a channel on YouTube, PD Songwriting. https://www.youtube.com/@pdsongwriting9982

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Being an independent artist, contrary to what some may believe, requires a lot of self-discipline, determination, resilience and a lot of faith in oneself. There is enough rejection (as there is in the pursuit of any creative career) for everyone to have second helpings. And that means having to shake off that rejection and move forward. You must be a self-starter. The fact that no one else is the “boss of me” is both a gift and a burden. If I don’ t work in the studio—no art is being made there. If I don’t post on social media— there are plenty of other people who are vying to get attention on their work. If I don’t reach out to galleries—the public won’t see it in person or potentially take that opportunity to buy it. So, every day that I can carve out the time and energy to create in the studio is a little victory for me.

Unlike in more traditional career choices, (lawyer, accountant, etc.) becoming an artist has no roadmap or prescribed educational path, where at the end of which you are officially proclaimed an artist. That said, there are ways to make it a bit easier on yourself. I benefitted from the help provided by Kristine Schomaker and her artist mentoring company Shoeboxarts.la. She helped me gain the confidence and knowledge to move forward in my career, provided exhibition opportunities and marketing strategies as well as introducing me to a wonderful group of my peers.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

It’s a bit hard to quantify which aspect I enjoy most. There are several things that come to mind. One that has to be near the top, of course, is that being an artist is fun. And it is a pleasure for me to share those feelings in my art. I am gratified if people enjoy and/or buy what I create. If the person viewing my work laughs, it means they understand me and we connected on a sincere level. If the viewer is intrigued by the array of materials I use in my mixed-media pieces, I was perhaps successful in sharing the beauty and possibility in the seemingly mundane. I also enjoy seeing the art others create and meeting other artists. And, of course, not having anyone tell me what to do, is lovely.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.debbiekorbel.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debbiekorbel/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Debbiegordonkorbel
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@pdsongwriting9982