Meet Deborah Eve Alastra

We recently connected with Deborah Eve Alastra and have shared our conversation below.

Deborah Eve, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

I was lucky to have grown up in a household that relished art and international travel/cultures. Falling in love with the Mona Lisa at the age of 5, (I insisted my brother take me daily for two weeks to the Louvre to view it closely) I think perhaps was a major influence on my decision to pursue the arts. As a child I remember drawing a lot and creating miniature dioramas from collected lost and found articles around the house and yard. When I was nine through the age of 15 I attended summer art classes at the Bellas Artes in Guanajuato Mexico and visited artist studios with my mother. Finishing at an alternative high school in England I continued art classes and still am to this day stimulated by the years spent in the UK/Europe living and traveling after high school. In my 20s I returned to the University of California to obtain a degree in Painting and Printmaking and developed a passion for painting which to this day at the age of 70, persists. For the last few years my pace has slowed some perhaps due to Parkinson’s however I continue to paint steadily, inspired by the beauty I see in everyday imagery and sometimes from dreams.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

My work is hanging and collected locally in Portland Oregon and Washington State in a few major hospitals including OHSU (Oregon Health and Science University), Kaiser and the Vancouver Clinics. I am told by hospitality curators that it is a good fit as most people find it very calming and enriching. I also sell prints and canvas reproductions both exclusively and non exclusively through several international publishers and will soon be affiliated and showing originals in a gallery featuring European artists in Boston Mass. OCCHI Contemporary Art (a division of OCCHI arts and entertainment NY and London) represents some of my work online.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

As in any endeavor perseverance and hard work is always important. I feel lucky to have had access to higher education which deepened my knowledge in the arts along with travel and exposure to foreign cultures. Having taught and administered art classes and programs to children throughout the years on a part time basis, stimulated my own artistic pursuits.

Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?

I am recently diagnosed with Parkinsons, though the early symptoms having likely been lurking for a number of years. At 70 this has changed my approach to studio work which for the last 20 years has been extremely productive and full time. As part of my time now has to be devoted to physical therapy; exercise, classes, I am working in the studio steadily but more slowly which is just how it has to be now. This has been emotionally challenging as I have to accept this new phase of life and work within its boundaries.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://pixels.com/profiles/deboraheve-alastra
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deborahalastra/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-eve-alastra-art-542bbb1a5/