Adrian Deckbar

Adrian Deckbar’s paintings are focused on “the natural world, increasingly in danger of extinction.” She breaks down elements in the landscape to dramatize the play of direct sunlight on forms and shapes. As a photorealist painter, Deckbar uses photography to capture images to bring back to her studio, developing them into her dynamic paintings.

The main influence on Deckbar’s working method came from studying with photorealist Robert Bechtle at San Francisco State University, where she received her MA in Painting and Drawing. His dedication to poetic nuance, and technical insight on how to use and take photographs left a permanent impression. Exposure to his work, and to other professional artists in the Bay Area, further influenced her growth. Earlier, Deckbar received a BA at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in Painting and Drawing, and later earned her MFA at Tulane University in the same subjects, finishing her degree while at the same time presenting her first solo show at a major gallery.

Deckbar’s work is included in private and corporate collections in the US and abroad. Her artwork was recently acquired by the Alexandria Museum of Art. Deckbar’s paintings have appeared in numerous one-person and juried shows across the US. She has received grants from the Joan Mitchell Foundation, the Pollack Krasner Foundation, the Louisiana Division of the Arts, and the Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation. In 2008, Deckbar published a book of her work with a grant from Louisiana Cultural Economy Foundation, “Continuum: Moving Through A Still Frame.”