Deb Putnam

As a plein air artist living in South Boston, I find a limitless source for my paintings. Sunny days you will find me painting on neighborhood street corners or in downtown Boston. When painting outdoors is not possible, I work in my South Boston studio on larger scale paintings, portraits and other figurative works.
What interests me most about plein air city painting is how sunlight breaks up form when it falls on an object. I see the city as an urban canyon where shadows caused by the surrounding buildings create an unexpected pattern of dark and light. There is something extraordinary about working outdoors in the city, hunting a site, being immersed in the noise and action as well as interacting with the community.
With my choice of subject matter such as old buildings and nightscapes I hope to pay homage to a disappearing landscape. It is a common occurrence for my chosen subject matter to be a victim of urban renewal after I paint them.
In my portrait, figurative painting and old photograph inspired work I hope to celebrate both an intimate and universal moment in time for the viewer. The shared experience of family and mealtime makes a frequent appearance in these works.
My oil paintings can be found at the Q Gallery, Qu...

BFA Painting Massachusetts College of Art

Current and Past Exhibitions (last 10 years)
2024 NE Regional Juried Exhibition, Boston Guild of Artists
2022 Fay Chandler Emerging, Boston, MA
,2025,2024, 2018 MassArt Juried Art Auction
2021 Q Art Gallery, Group show
2020 Focus on Figure Juried Show North River Arts
2020 Body of Work Figure Show, Crane Library, Quincy
2019 BCEC South Boston Show
2019, 2018, 2017 Massasoit Juried Art Festival
2019 Quincy Arts Affair
2017 QAA Nude Figure Show, Crane Library, Quncy MA
2017 BNN Studio, Boston MA Portrait - and the story behind it!" l
2017 MassArt Annual Auction
2016 BNN Studio, Boston Ma
2016 Faye Chandler Exhibit, Boston City Hall
2016 Patriot Place Gallery, Foxboro Ma
2016 Arts Around the Corner Gallery, Boston Ma
2016 South Boston Open Studios
2015,2014,2013,2012,2011 Massasoit Art Festival, Canton Campus
2015 Quincy Art Festival, Quincy MA
2015, 2014 Artists Crossing Gallery, Boston MA
2015, 2014 Boston Convention and Event Center, Boston Ma
2014 Front Street Gallery, Scituate, MA
2014 Boston City Hall, SBAA Group Show
2014,2013, 2012 MassArt Annual Benefit Art Auction
2013 Akillian Gallery, Massasoit Community College, Canton, MA
2013 The Gallery at Patriot Place, Foxboro, MA
2012 Carscapes, Walter Greer Gallery, Hilton Hea...