Deborah Henderson American
Deborah Henderson approaches her art with a deep respect for the subtle, often fleeting rhythms of the world around her. Through soft pastels, she preserves the quiet stories of light, atmosphere, and place, inviting viewers to pause and feel the moment as she experienced it.
Deborah Henderson is a contemporary American pastel artist widely recognized for her evocative landscapes and atmospheric scenes. She works primarily in soft pastel; a medium she favors for its immediacy and the vividness of color it allows without the wait times or dilution associated with oils or acrylics.
Deborah holds Signature Member status in both the Pastel Society of the West Coast (PSWC) and the Northwest Pastel Society (NPS) and is also associated with the Olympia Art League. In 2023, she achieved the distinguished rank of Master Circle Status with the International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS), a testament to her skill, consistency, and respect among her peers.
Her pastel work has earned notable recognition: she received an Honorable Mention in the Pastel Journal’s “Pastel 100” competition. Her paintings have been exhibited in numerous shows across the United States and are held in private collections internationally. Deborah studied pastel techniques with respected instructors including Doris Jean Colvin and Susan Glendenning and expanded her craft through workshops with acclaimed pastel artists such as Albert Handell, Tony Allain, Teresa Saia, Amanda Houston, and Desmond O'Hagan.
Henderson’s artistic vision revolves around capturing fleeting moments in time, the kind of transient beauty that might otherwise be forgotten. Whether painting en plein air (outdoors) or working in her studio, she aims to not just depict a scene, but evoke its sensations: the warmth of sunlight, the hush or bustle of a place, the gentle sway of breeze, or the calm of a quiet moment. In her own words:
“My favorite paintings reflect the feeling of a snapshot in time, a brief glimpse of something that I’d like to preserve and savor.” – Deborah Henderson.
In her practice, soft pastels allow her to work with immediacy and spontaneity, ideal for both outdoor and indoor work. The broad color range soft pastels offer enables her to build rich, vibrant scenes that convey mood and atmosphere as much as visual accuracy.