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Artist Bio

Debbie Aune was born and has lived in the Gatzke area since 1964. She still resides there with her husband Elroy. They have 4 kids; all grown and moved on. Mrs. Aune works predominantly in the medium of watercolor, but includes mixed media, soft sculpture and welding into her plethora of art activities. Aune completed her B.S. degree in art education at Bemidji State University and has been teaching art full time in the Greenbush Middle River district since '94. When time permits she attends art workshops across the country and has studied painting and photography under various artists, a few include: painters Alvaro Castagnet, Andy Evansen, Joseph Zbukvic, Cheng-Khee Chee, Paul Jackson, Herman Pekel and photographer Craig Blacklock.

 

Aune has had five professional solo shows, two held in East Grand Forks, Minnesota at the River Walk Art Gallery and her most recent at Northland College, Thief River Falls, MN.

 

Aune also works in mixed media; Tired Dolls are  currently a favorite.  'Tired Dolls' are the embodiment of a lifelong passion for everyday walking, traveling, collecting anything odd and recycling. Art brings all these hobbies together in the form of Dolls. Why are they called 'Tired Dolls'? In part because, as Aune states, "I was going through an exhausting stage in life a few years ago trying to juggle work, family and my own aspirations. During one of my daily walks I found this perfectly mask-shaped, hairy piece of truck tread that eventually transformed into a 'Tired Doll'. It was coincidental that the medium matched my disposition at the time."

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Artist Statement

I began painting as a young teenager using my Gramma Esther's left-over, oil, paint-by-number sets. My first painting was on a piece of gray tag board. Art became my favorite distraction as I decided to make a living at it in the form of TEACHING. I have recently retired from teaching k-12 art but still present art workshops for kids as well as adults. I continue to paint for the joy of it using mainly watercolors.  My latest collection of works, Blueberry Yoga encompasses the longstanding tradition of the 'sacred',  seasonal event of blueberry picking in the Beltrami Forest. Most of my works can be found at The Little Swedish Shoppe in Roseau, MN. I continue living on the farm, helping with the grandkids, painting and baking. Blueberry pies are my specialty. ~Debbie Aune, Gatzke, Minnesota