Curator's Choice: Some Flowers Wait by Deborah T. Colter

We all know the old adage, "April showers bring May flowers." And here we are in April, with flowers slowly waking up just in time for May. So what's our Curator's Choice this month? No question, it had to be Some Flowers Wait by Martha's Vineyard-based abstract collage artist, Deborah T. Colter. Read on to learn more about why we chose this original collage painting to highlight this month - aside from that perfectly fitting title. 

What It's About

The title Some Flowers Wait makes reference to the overall aesthetic of the final piece, but to the artist's process as well. "My work is a continual evolutionary journey of discovery," Colter says. "I build my work out of multiple layers of collage elements with acrylic polymer paints, drawn lines and various mixed mediums. Some Flowers Wait Until September was a headline from a gardening article in an old newspaper I had read. 'Some flowers wait' struck with me as not only a simple garden statement, but also a reference to all late bloomers. I love it when a painting starts to lead me to its own conclusion. I strive to let the paintings tell me their own story. For me, Some Flowers Wait feels like a bit like garden, a journey and a message of reassurance from the universe."

Where It Works

At 36" x 36", Some Flowers Wait is an ideal size for many locations - over a mantle, a console table, or in a dining room are just a few options. Because of Colter's abstract style, which is visually varied but organized, the composition can work as a focal-point in a more minimalist space, or as a welcome addition to a busier or earth-toned space. And because of the warm orange, pink, and red accents throughout, the cool, earthy piece can draw out, or even enhance the warmer palettes in a room. 

Why We Love It

While very purely abstract in style, Deborah T. Colter's work as a whole finds an in-betweenness that is difficult not to appreciate. She avoids the harshness of purely geometric shapes, opting instead to incorporate soft layers, subtle organic details, and hand-drawn marks. Even the paper with which she collages is often hand-made in her studio. This strong presence of the artist's hand in the finished piece reminds the viewer of the process behind it - a process which (Colter herself states), she allows to unfold, un-rushed and un-hindered. Like the flowers we see swiftly - or slowly - blooming this time of year, Some Flowers Wait serves as a pleasant, balanced visual reminder that we can find success in the growth itself - linear paths, unexpected curves, and all. 

Deborah T. Colter is a contemporary abstract painter who lives on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. Born in Ithaca, New York, she has been fortunate to live and work on the idyllic island off the coast of Massachusetts for most her life. Deborah graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with a B.F.A. in 1981, and has been a full-time studio artist since that time, with work widely represented in private and corporate collections throughout the United States and overseas.

See Some Flowers Wait and other original collage paintings by Deborah T. Colter in her Artist Collection. Questions about Deborah's artwork? Contact us!

Want to see past Curator's Choices? Discover them all in the Trends section of the blog!