Welcome to 
Deborah Brees Art Studio

Deb Brees - Artist Bio

A Connection to the Natural World

     I’ve been a working artist for as long as I can remember.  After graduating from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago as a fresh 21-year-old, I moved to southern Illinois and did quite a bit of freelance artwork, mostly portraiture in oils and watercolor, before answering an ad in the local paper for “Artist Wanted”. 

     I remember walking into Brees Studio to apply for the job of artist and my jaw dropped.  In front of me was a huge mural, scheduled to be installed at the Old State House Museum in Arkansas.  I got the job, and it was a good fit, since I had always loved science and research and art and had spent many hours in the Field Museum of Chicago, admiring the natural history exhibits. 

     I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of my career as a natural history museum artist-fabricator, working with other talented artists, and I especially loved the research, sculpting, and painting of high quality, realistic animal sculptures.  My painted animal models are in natural history and science museums all over the world, including the UAE, UK, Kuwait, Canada, and the United States.

     Therefore, when my husband, the owner of Brees Studio, retired and closed his studio, it seemed a natural continuation for me to pursue animal and wildlife art as a solo artist.

I bring a lifetime of skill and knowledge as an artist in the museum fabrication industry to the fine arts industry.  The paints and materials are the same, and I am excited and challenged as ever to see what each new day brings.