Debbie Mathews has worked with stained glass since 1974, and has accomplished many projects over the years. She attended Northwestern Michigan College where she took many different Art media classes after graduating high school. Debbie has taken many classes in advanced fusing, teaching art in schools, stained glass, etc. She has also taught many classes, including stained glass, fusing, jewelry, mosaics, etc. After moving from Michigan to Fairbanks and finding no place to buy glass, she felt a need to have stained glass re-introduced to the town.

Debbie opened Expressions in Glass in April of 1992. After a successful 13 years on Airport Way in Fairbanks, Expressions in Glass needed a new facility to fit their growing needs. Debbie and her husband, Ted Mathews, decided to move their business, and after a year of remodeling, Expressions in Glass opened its new larger facility on Peger Road in February of 2005.

Debbie’s work is displayed in many places around Fairbanks. You can see her stained glass windows at St. Matthews Episcopal Church on 1st Ave., Sourdough Fuel Party Store on Danby Rd., University Community Presbyterian Church on College Rd., First Presbyterian Church on Cushman St., as well as custom cabinets and windows at many residential sites. She has also collaborated on a large, approximately 100 square foot, project with James Grant in Anchorage for the Dena’ina Convention Center.

Debbie has taken on all kinds of projects, from simple to extravagant. Her custom orders include large and small installations, windows, kitchen cabinets, sun catchers, lamps, boxes, picture frames, fused items, repairs and many other custom ideas.

It’s a wonderful thing, being an artist, living in Alaska. There is much inspiration to be drawn from our seasons, the landscape, mountains, rivers, the people, and my favorite subject, the birch.

The local color is all around us. What I truly enjoy is interpreting that color via watercolor. The pinks, reds, blues, purples and ochres in snow, that are so well hidden unless you stop to really see them. The same can be said for our clouds, with colorful grays, intermixed with blues in the sky. My inspiration comes from all of this, my mind’s eye seeing the colors that will eventually make up a finished painting.

I’ve had the opportunity to participate in workshops over the last few years with local watercolor artist Tom Nixon and Vladimir Zhikhartsev. I have also studied with Frank Francese, Sharon Freeman, Ron Ranson and most recently Carl Purcell. I taught my first workshop in October 2009. It is very rewarding to teach, to pass on what I have learned so far. The beauty and color of the Alaskan landscapes gives many ideas for subject matter and lends itself well to a variety of styles of painting.

I am also currently inspired by the works of Stephen Quiller (his use of color is really something else), John Salminen , Alvaro Castagnet, Joseph Zbukvic, and Nicolas Simmons.

Fairbanks has been home for over 40 years, and every day I count myself blessed to be able to live here and put some scenes down on paper. I thank my wife, Denyse, for being my harshest critic, and my parents, Bill and Marj, for all their support.

Save the Date!

Planning is underway for the 2012 ‘A Taste of Arrrt’ fundraiser; please join us in our Quest for the Children by Surrendering Ye Heart and saving the date of Saturday, February 18th! 

A Special Thanks to our 2012 Co-Chairs:

• Cullen Wallace,  Abridge Partners                                                             
• Dr. Christopher Henry,  Henry Orthodontics                      

We are Honored to Present our 2012 Featured Artists:

Matt Moberly                                                          

Voted as Artist of the Year                                   

by the Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce       

Medium:  Watercolor                                                                   

Debbie Matthews

Owner of Expressions in Glass

Fairbanks, Alaska       

Medium:  Stained and Fused Glass         

Chart Ye Course for Saturday, February 18th

Westmark Fairbanks Gold Room

Doors open at 6pm with a no-host bar

Grub and Grog will be served at 7pm

Our MC/DJ, Jim Matherly, and Auctioneer, Bob Gray of ATC Auctions

will start the live and silent auctions at 8 pm 

For more information about ‘A Taste of Arrrt 2012’ or to make a donation, please contact Erin Chalstrom at (907) 456-4729 or via email at toa@fcaalaska.org. We will be happy to arrange for pick up of your donation.  All items should be in ‘new’ condition unless considered a collectible or antique. Financial support will help underwrite the event’s general expenses or can be directed to a specific expense such as framing, decorations or food for volunteers.