Cheap Thrills

This week's featured do-it-yourselfer is a mother of 2 boys, an artist, and a nature lover. Let's meet Debbie!

Name: Debbie Prestom-Nyhus, 44
Hometown: Levittown, NY
Occupation: Homemaker/ computer programmer by trade
Craft: Landscape paintings and prints
Web site: beadmedley.etsy.com

Where do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration anywhere there is natural beauty. My family and I love boating, and we spend many weekends on the Great South Bay. I also love the Planting Fields Arboretum, Westbury Gardens, Fire Island, and the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, to name a few. The best part about these places is that you could visit them 100 times a day and always see something new, wonderful and different.

How did you get into your craft?

As far as I could remember, I’ve had a love of color and nature. I didn’t start painting, though, until about age 30. I was always good at math and was a computer programmer by trade, and assumed I had no artistic abilities. When my first son was an infant, he recognized a cookie monster that I drew for him. I’ll never forget the look on his face, as his eyes wandered back and forth from my drawing to his cookie monster toy! At that point, drawing and painting with pastels became an integral part of my life. I said when I started that I wouldn’t stop until the walls in my house were full. Since then, we’ve added three extensions to the house and I’m removing old paintings to hang new ones. I’m still painting!

What do you love about painting?

I love painting with pastels because it allows me to put my feelings down on paper in living color. My goal isn’t to replicate a scene like a picture, but to express my feelings about a scene.

Where do you get your supplies?

I buy many of my art supplies at Michael’s in Levittown, NY and
at Pearl Craft in East Meadow, NY.

What's your biggest craft challenge?

One of my biggest craft challenges is trying not to be overly critical of my work. I’ve learned from experience to recognize when I’m doing this. That’s when I put the piece aside and I don’t look at it for awhile. I'll come back to it when I’m much more relaxed and ready to look at it with a fresh vision. The last thing that I want is for my work to look forced. It should reflect nothing but positive feelings!

What's your best craft tip?

My best craft tip would be to always carry a camera, extra batteries and plenty of memory or film! It’s not necessary to aim for the best shot for a painting. Some of my best paintings originated from my worst photos. “Bad” photos leave much more to the imagination and allow you to paint from the heart.

What craft would you like to try next?

I’ve just started experimenting with polymer clay. I’d love to be able to combine my love of painting and photography with my ability to make and design jewelry. I’m very interested in learning how to transfer images onto pendants to create wearable art!

Any advice for beginners?

My best advice to beginners would be to not take painting too seriously. If you relax, and have fun with it, your love of doing it will shine through. I would also say that you should always finish a project. Some of my projects that I felt started out poorly, ended up becoming my favorites. This might not always be the case, but you’ll gain valuable experience while trying.

Visit Debbie's Web site (http://beadmedley.etsy.com) to learn more about her landscape prints and handmade jewelry. Or go to www.etsy.com and search for her username -- beadmedley.

Want to show off your creative side? Send me an e-mail with pictures showing off your favorite craft and you might be chosen as our next DIYer of the Week!