Debra Van Tuinen’s work captures the luminous interplay between light, movement, and the natural world. Rooted in abstraction yet deeply connected to landscape, her paintings embody a meditative balance between serenity and intensity. Through layering oil and acrylic on canvas, Van Tuinen creates compositions that evoke both the passage of time and the timeless stillness found in nature.

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, the artist draws inspiration from the atmospheric qualities of her surroundings—the shifting light, mist, and reflections of water. Over the course of her career, Van Tuinen has developed a distinct visual language that merges physical texture with emotional resonance, inviting viewers into a space of quiet contemplation. Her work was selected for the 2004 Florence Biennale and has been hung in U.S. embassies abroad. She also received the 2022 Thurston Economic Development Council Economic Courage Award for her commitment to the arts in the Olympia community. 

Based in Olympia, WA