"I haven't been selling work for very long," admits up-and-comer Deyanna Lambert, a full-time mom and former art student who recently rediscovered the therapeutic nature of painting. These days, once the kids are tucked in for the night, Lambert goes out to her studio and paints, sometimes until 2 a.m. "That's my time," she says. And while the bright flowers and smiling animals that Lambert sometimes produces might seen proper motherly subjects, her detailed skulls, bloody still lifes and Halloween-inspired pieces are anything but predictable.
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Lambert has been a hobby painter since she was a child. "I was always really active in art through high school," she says, adding that she went to college to be an art teacher. But she worked three jobs while she was a student, and never had a chance to finish her degree. Instead, she transitioned into retail and other gigs -- "waiting tables, all the fun stuff," as Lambert puts it -- to pay the bills."I've always wanted to go finish my degree, but haven't had a chance yet," says Lambert. But she did have a chance to get back into painting. "I didn't necessarily quit, but I really let it take a backburner for about eight years," the artist explains.
Her return to the canvas began when Lambert and a friend decided to get together and do crafts, all kinds of artsy stuff. Lambert gravitated toward painting, and eventually started painting on her own, too. "Now it's almost every night," she says happily.
Although Lambert mostly paints on canvas, occasionally she'll try other forms and mediums: crochet, knitting -- she's even learning to sew. "I like to jump around a lot; I like to experiment and try different colors and styles," she says, noting that she has dabbled in everything from portraiture to still life and abstract.She's also tried her hand at mixed mediums, and is especially fond of a detailed, burlap skull painting embellished with embroidery. "For that, I tried to picture a really old-school medical textbook when I was creating," says Lambert.
Continue reading for more on Lambert's sweet and spooky work. "My favorites, and the ones I really excel in," she says, "are big flowers and Halloweeny stuff." Say what? "That's right," she continues, "I love skulls and zombies, and I actually worked in a haunted house for seven years doing acting and makeup." (The haunted house, in case you are wondering, is The Asylum, which is where Lambert met many of her close friends, as well as her husband.) Aside from doing makeup at the haunted house, Lambert has also done some freelance zombie makeup for Zombie Crawl.When Lambert decided she was ready to start showing her paintings again, she got together with a group of friends, and the quintet began rotating their stuff at Wonderland Brewing Co., decorating the walls of Broomfield's new brewery.
When Lambert learned about Art Farm, happening this Saturday, August 23, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the West Washington Park Community Garden, she thought, "That sounds really fun!" Denver Urban Gardens' annual celebration of art features local artwork displayed against the natural beauty of a community garden; partnering with DUG, Eric Matelski put out a call for local artists, and Lambert submitted pieces. She was thrilled when some were accepted into the show.
Lambert is currently organizing an event to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project of Colorado, tentatively scheduled for October 11 at Wonderland Brewing. The event will feature local artists and crafters, along with live music, raffle items, family fun and, of course, some damn good beer! If you'd like to get involved, e-mail Lambert at [email protected].
Lambert does not currently have a website, so if you'd like to see more of her work, stop by this weekend's West Wash Park show or stop by Wonderland.
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