Artist Biographies
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Your Friendly Neighborhood Website Editor
This is your friendly neighborhood website editor. Are you a member of the Lebanon Art Guild and don't see your name here?
Please send a biography and picture to lebanonartguild@gmail.com and I will get it posted.
Deborah Knufer
Deborah Kufner in her studio.
I enjoy painting all things created by our creator: landscapes, animals, and people. I love color . . . I love how color can move one from one state of emotion to another. I also love light and shadow which plays a big part in most of my work.
Patty Kilson
Patty Kilson
Patricia Kilson (Patty) was born and raised in the state of Alaska but moved to the Lebanon, Missouri area upon retirement.
Her primary artistic interests are in watercolor, pen & ink, pencil drawings and paper-cutting. She is also a writer and author, having published two books. Carina is the story of her family's three-year adventure living aboard a 40' sailboat traveling from Florida, through the Bahamas, Caribbean, across the Gulf of Mexico and through the Panama Canal, then sailing up the west coast of Central American, the United States and eventually making their way back to Alaska. The Song of the Raven is a children's story, written in verse and illustrated. It tells the story of life and death in the Alaskan wilderness. Both books are available through Amazon.
Patty is currently a freelance writer for Ozarks Farm & Neighbor, a local newspaper whose offices are located in Lebanon. She writes stories about farmers, youth, business owners, teachers and others who are involved in agriculture in the Ozarks.
While in Alaska, she taught beginning watercolor classes through Anchorage Re-Made, an organization dedicated to recycling by remaking discarded items into something new. She had two pieces of art made entirely from recycled materials shown at the Anchorage International Art Gallery in 2011. She is now gives free drawing classes at the gallery on Wednesdays and serves as secretary to the Guild.
Kathy Gilette
Kathy Gilette
I started by creative journey as a maker of quilt tops. I made my first top in 2008. I have made about 3 dozen tops, and have had about 2 dozen professionally quilted. I wanted to do the whole creative process myself, so I started making small art quilts. This led me to many different types of art applications. Mixed media is my favorite type of expression.
I started making my own felt in March of 2021. I feel like I am home. I love the wool. I have had to learn to "let it go" working on the felt pieces that I do, as I can't always manipulate the fiber as I would like.
I hope you enjoy my work.
Deanna Stuckey
Deanna Stuckey
I have been involved in art all my life - drawing, coloring, and, later, painting with water colors, chalk, and oils. In high school, I designed and made most of my clothes. In college, I majored in Art with a minor in Design, with an emphasis on Fashion Design. As an adult, I got into crafts, decorative art, and designing doll clothes. After I married, we farmed in Mercer County in Northern Missouri, and I didn’t have much time to paint, especially after adopting three kids in 1969-70. In 1979, we moved to Dallas County and living near Bennett Spring become a favorite place for me to go for peace, quiet, and inspiration. I have done many paintings of the different land marks along the spring branch.
To me there is nothing more quieting to the soul than being out in nature and listening to the gurgle and splash of a waterfall. I studied water and painted 13 waterfall and rippling streams in 2012 and 2013. I wanted to portray the actual feeling water stirred in me. As I enter my senior years, I enjoy painting nature, flowers, water, and landscapes. Right now I am painting animals and barns.
I enjoy teaching others. I taught K-12 in two public schools in Northern Missouri. I taught decorative painting, oil, and watercolor classes at my own studio - Painters Retreat. I exhibited at the Ozark Empire Fair and won several first place prizes and grand champion in 2014, 2015, and 2022. I have had paintings selected for the Juried Senior Show in Springfield, MO. I have also taught art classes to 4-H members and art workshops at State 4-H events.
Joy Thompson
Joy Thompson
I was born here in Lebanon, Missouri, and my art education began with my mom, Vera Harrill. Along the way, we always had mom's paintings in our home and had many opportunities to visit museums and take art classes.
My first lessons were at Nell's Studio in Independence, Kansas, at the age of 11, where I started painting with oils. My charcoal drawings were features in the art window at Bartlett High School in Anchorage, Alaska in 1974, and I sold a drawing to my teacher for $5. I furthered my education at the University of Alaska, earning a Bachelor of Education degree, with a minor in Art.
Traveling to and from Lebanon to visit relatives gave me a unique opportunity to meet many artist at the Lebanon Art Guild, while I was living full time in Alaska. My home is still in Alaska, but I currently live in southern Arkansas and come to Lebanon often.
I enjoy a variety of mediums - oils, acrylics, pastels, and watercolor. I enjoy taking classes and learning from other artists. I enjoy painting nature, especially flowers.
I currently serve as President of the Lebanon Art Guild.
Maureen Darby
Maureen Darby
Maureen Darby
Mauren Darby
Maureen Darby, nee O'Reilly, is an artist who lives in the Ozarks of rural Laclede County, Missouri. Her interest in art dates back as far as she remembers. She has experimented with various art forms including drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography, fine art embroidery, cut paper, and others.
Darby attended California College of Arts and Crafts (now California College of the Arts) in Oakland, California. While there she studied with Arthur Okamura, an American artist who worked in screen printing, drawing, and painting. She also studies with other artists who were faculty at CCAC. Darby studied lithographic printing with Garo Antreasian at the University of Mexico.
Inspired by the paper-cutting of Dan Paulos, Darby taught herself how to create images with paper. After practicing with preprinted designs, she began to create her own images. Darby creates images of rural children and whimsical floral designs that hearken back to life in simpler times.
Darby's work has been published in the Guild of American Papercutters' magazine, Frist Cut. One of her designs was features as the cover on the quarterly magazine.
"Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time." - Thomas Merton.
Darby designed the new logo for the Lebanon Art Guild.