The Ohio Artist Registry (OAR) is an exciting opportunity for artists to share their work, connect with the creative community, and establish an online presence—all on a free, virtual platform! The OAR encourages artists working in all art forms, throughout Ohio and beyond, to create a profile, which allows them to better promote themselves and their work. Being listed in the OAR provides artists with new opportunities to share their work with clients, galleries, patrons, and audiences. A listing in the OAR does not confer an endorsement, approval, or verification by the Ohio Arts Council.
For more information, contact Kathy Signorino, artist programs director, at kathy.signorino@oac.ohio.gov or 614-728-6140.
Deborah Kovacs-Sturdevant
KHAC Collective ArtistCincinnati Ohio 45230 United States Cell Phone: 4192361658 Home Phone: 5132313944 Website: Etsy Website: Deborah K Creations
Bio
Deborah is a self-taught professional polymer clay & mixed media artist from Cincinnati, Ohio. She’s been a lifelong artist and has worked in many different mediums. She likes to experiment with mediums until she finds her own voice.
Deborah learned to sew at the age of eight and often made her own clothes. As a teenager, Deborah ran her own clothing alterations and design business from home, which she continued on and off for thirty years. She studied both clothing and interior design at the college level. Around 1990, Deborah started designing and fabricating vestments and paraments for local Catholic churches, and she did this until 2003.
In 2014, Deborah developed an interest in polymer clay jewelry after seeing the beautiful jewelry created by a long-time friend and fellow artist. She began making unique wearable art jewelry. She sold these pieces on Etsy and at local and regional arts and crafts markets while continuing her professional career in healthcare.
In 2019, her interest in more artistically intricate uses for polymer clay was piqued after seeing the works of an internationally known polymer clay artist. Deborah began making polymer clay and mixed media pieces. In 2023, Deborah taught herself to use AI to design unique images to use in her art. Today, she is one of only a few exhibiting artists to use an image to polymer clay transfer technique to create the focal points of her art.
Artist Statement
I’ve worn many hats during my lifetime, but the one constant is that I’ve always been an artist. I’m curious and experiment with various mediums until I find those that suit my talents. From drawing, painting, and ceramics, to sewing and fiber arts, I’ve dabbled with varying techniques and mediums. Every piece I make is meant to prompt reflection and connection. Through my art, I offer a glimpse into a world shaped by curiosity, reinvention, and creativity.
I began using polymer clay in 2014 and started making unique necklaces. As my interest in using more advanced clay techniques grew, I landed on mixed media art in 2019.
In 2023, I started experimenting with text-to-image AI to create unique images to use in my works. I print the images onto water-soluble paper using a laser jet printer, transfer those images to polymer clay, and then hand-paint the images to enhance them. I’m one of only a few exhibiting artists who use image to polymer clay transfer techniques routinely in their art.
I consider myself a storyteller. I often incorporate whimsey, symbolism, folklore, and history into many of my works. My unique style is a mix of Gothic, Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Contemporary, and Mexican folk art. I want to touch something inside the viewer or just make them smile when they see my work. My art is my legacy.
