Deborah Rumptz: My process is to surrender and open to a powerful energy beyond myself

How did you get started as an artist?

My earliest memory of creating was in my young childhood days. I can remember being no more than 4 years old and playing in the dirt in Plymouth Michigan. I would dig holes in the ground to collect the rich clay like soil and remember fondly my father saying, “you keep digging like that and you’re going to dig all the way to China.” I kept digging and there it was… China, in the forms of little clay faces. The dirt and some water became a great medium for creating various shapes. It was here that I have seen the faces as they appeared. The faces would talk to me. These faces would be friendly at times and scary at others, but they quickly became my constant companions. At the time, I had no reason to believe that they didn’t talk to everyone. I had come to this as the realization of my life that the faces were in everyone’s life. Later in life I would find out that my greatest inspiration for art was only in my being. As I became older, I learned that no one was receiving inspiration from their faces, just me. It was the voices of the faces, they would cry out to me to bring them to life, so that is what I did, through my ART. As a teenager, I was diagnosed with schizophrenia. I was badly upset, and felt lonely, isolated and different, that is, except for the faces of course. I keep using the voices as inspiration for my art. I learned to accept my diagnosis and turn what most would consider a disadvantage on their life and used mine to inspire artwork not just for me, but for others in my life as well.

What themes does your work involve?

My work is primitive, abstract, impressionist, contemporary and surreal. It can also draw on influences by my whimsical, spiritual and even mystical influences.  When creating my art, I pull from the primal elements of fire, earth, water and air. The past, the future and an array of time periods. I also am inspired by celestial influence of the sun, clouds moon, really the universe in its infinite inspiration. When spending time in nature, I find guidance from animals, small to large creatures alike.
If there is a sound, music, shapes, crosses, angels, devils, I will listen, look and feel the art it is to become.  Most recently I have indulged in spiritual portraits, often gifting them to others as I feel called to their souls.

What is your source of inspiration?

My unique inspiration is sourced from within and how I see, hear and feel all of that which encompasses humanity.  All that there is, has been and will be.
It is forever changing.
It can be a delusion, vision, sound, music touch, and even written words…
An example of one of my greatest and most profound inspirations is Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones. My piece, “Stone dedication”, was for them and about them. When I first saw and heard the voice of Mick Jagger, I felt like all my dreams had come true in an instant. The sound of his voice sets my soul on fire. It had stopped my breath until my heart felt as though it was beating outside of my body. When I have this experience, or even hallucinations, all in an instant time stops and the creative process begins… 

Can you describe your creative process?

My process is to surrender and open to a powerful energy beyond myself. The interdimensional and angelic realms that take us on universal travels through the abyss and that is the starting point. The energies of humans that I see as well as creatures and nature bring me to ask:
What does it look like?
What does it feel like?
Will I draw it? Paint it?
Will I Build it into clay?
Will I put it into words?
Does it have borders or directions?
That is when I let art happen through me.
When I surrender to it.