My name is Deana Gore and I’m a self-taught artist working primarily in acrylics.

My earliest inspirations were horror novels, rock music and horror movies, and my style often tends toward darker themes and portrait styles. I’m especially drawn to intense imagery and colors, and my hope is that my work incites a reaction from my viewers. I’m particularly fond of commanding, persuasive and energetic subjects.

Currently, I operate from my central California studio and for me, the process of creating is healing and cathartic.

My words to live by: “Fear kills more dreams than failure ever will”

Artist Statement:

Deana Gore – California born and raised, self-taught artist working primarily in acrylics.

As a kid, I turned to art to escape childhood trauma and drew so much spontaneously, that it became “tracing” what was in my mind. Putting the lines in just enabled others to see what I saw.

Drawing was my way to cope with depression and loss of confidence in later years. It was intensely private, and I only shared parts of what I did with individuals who earned my trust.

Later I put drawing on a shelf to raise a family, and that 25- year hiatus ended in 2015. Needing a creative outlet, I finally decided to try my hand at painting. Emotion overcame me upon discovering that I could.

I strongly feel that art should make the viewer feel something. I don’t do “pretty” typically because there’s a saturation of that and I just don’t’ feel it. I want my viewers to sense unease and tension that I’m feeling when an inspiration moves me enough to do it. I WANT people to question my work.

Life inspires me. Not so much the daily grind and the monotonous passage of time, but the grit and the shadow. The things all people share but seldom discuss. The things, difficult to confront but that we all should. Some things need light shone on them, and that is what inspires me.