Personal Information

Full Name

Debbie Fimrite

Artist Bio

Debbie Fimrite is a deaf, Berkeley artist, Japanese-inspired, with over 30 years of experience studying, creating, exhibiting and occasionally teaching art. She grew up in San Francisco and enjoys painting, drawing, sculpture, computer graphics, photography, origami, creating art dolls and altering Barbies. Always interested in art as a means of inspiration, self expression and healing; she was fortunate to grow up in the presence of many supportive artists including her mother who is a painter and sculptor. Over the years she has exhibited in a number of Bay Area Galleries including the Fort Mason Art Center, the Nanny Goat Hill Gallery, Gallery Sanchez, The Tea Spot Cafe, the Japan Center, Red Ink Studios, the Market Street Gallery, Art 94124 Gallery, Age Song Gallery, Expressions Gallery and participated in San Francisco and East Bay Open Studios.

Artist Statement

Debbie Fimrite gets much of her inspiration from Japanese Art dolls. Armed with many Barbies of varying body types and sizes, she recreates, re-assembles, customizes, and repaints Barbies and hybrid combinations made from pieces of other dolls. Some of her favorite themes are Deaf Pride, Sci-Fi, Horror and Halloween Barbies, Gay/Lesbian Barbies, Martial Arts dolls and Geishas which represent female beauty, power, pride and ability, anything to break away from the ditzy, blonde princess image. She has auctioned some of her dolls and crafts to raise money for Deaf domestic violence and abuse victims.

History

Member for

14 years 8 months