Meet the Artist: Debbie Dannheisser

May 2024—To Debbie Dannheisser, painting is a place for personal growth. When painting doesn’t feel like fun, or if she gets too close to a piece, too attached to how it looks, she takes a step back and gives space to the project. “I use that as a metaphor for life,” she says. “ It has also taught me to quiet the voices that speak of the self doubt and the need to control.  Each new piece has helped me trust the ebb and flow of the evolving painting, and in turn, to trust the ebb and flow of my evolving life.”

Debbie lives in Sarasota with her husband, Dan, both of whom are well known for being active within the community. While she’s taken a few art classes locally, art was not Debbie’s major in school. Before becoming an artist, she was a personal growth coach and transformation seminar leader. Providing people with a path to their personal expression and growth was her passion. 

Debbie’s drive for painting all started almost 30 years ago. “I awoke late one night driven by a vision. I sat down to a canvas that night and painted a mother with a blue-eyed baby. A month later I found out I was pregnant! Assuming that our baby would have brown eyes matching mine and my husband’s, I changed the eyes of my painted baby to brown. To my astonishment—we had a blue-eyed boy! I have been painting ever since. It feels meant to be.”

Now, Debbie’s fine art paintings live in homes all over the country, appear in various galleries in Florida, and hang in offices of several nonprofit organizations where she’s donated her art for their auctions to help raise money for their causes. “Painting is a gift I allow myself and it is my way to touch and connect with people. It is my wish that through my art, I can share my desire to inspire others to feel. We all need reminders of how much love, joy and beauty permeate our lives if we only open our eyes to their presence, regardless of the moment to moment challenges that can obstruct our true visions.”

Debbie’s fine art paintings can be found this month at 530 Burns Gallery in Downtown Sarasota. Visit www.530burnsgallery.com to learn more. In addition to her paintings, she also sells a line athleisure-wear with patterns created from her art. Visit www.debbiedannheisserthreads.com for more information or to view or purchase her work.