Launched by creative and life partners Debi and John Friedlander in early 2011 after more than a year of life-changing drama, Encoure Arts was born after making our first sale to a perceptive and encouraging fellow artist we met on an airplane. He saw photos Debi was reviewing on her laptop after a trip to Hawaii, and placed his order for a large print while walking with us to baggage claim. We have been working ever since to respond to this support for Debi’s artistic vision.
Encoure Arts celebrates the beauty of life with artworks which focus on the sometimes unnoticed details of everyday living, and the simple thoughts which are too often overlooked or forgotten. Themes of resurrection, overcoming adversity, making the best of challenging circumstances and engaging life with laughter run through our work, as do attention to detail, and the constancy of change and choice.
The Art: A Human Touch in a Digital Age
As the primary visual creator of Encoure Arts, Debi combines both manual and digital techniques to create her works. Creations usually begin with the flexibility and realism of a digital photograph, with manipulation of the image occurring at many stages after the shutter click. Painting with colored pencils or other tools allows Debi to apply her classical training with texture, linear qualities, subtle nuance, and most importantly, the element of human touch.
Works are delivered in several forms, from greeting cards – perfect for galleries mailed with your personal inscriptions and displayed on refrigerators and bulletin boards, to oversize fine prints suitable for framing and display on the largest walls. Works are often delivered in one form, then reworked and delivered again in another edition or an entirely new format, blurring the lines of traditional “completion,” and triggering a dialogue about beginnings and endings – a dialogue which underlies and informs all of Debi’s work.
Commissions and special projects are also accepted.
An accomplished photographer, writer and graphic designer, John is the “delivery guy” of Encoure Arts, applying his broad talents to finding ways to pair Debi’s visuals with appreciative eyes. Responsible for communications, production, development, marketing and whatever else comes up, John collaborates with Debi at every step to support and enhance her work.
We are constantly adding new products and are always interested in hearing from those who share our interests. Please subscribe to our mailing list so we can keep you posted on the latest cool stuff!
“Encoure?”
In French, encourir means
- to incur (to expose oneself to something inconvenient)
- to run [the risk] encourir le risque d’être rattrapé – run the risk of being caught
…which is certainly interesting, and tangentially related to what we’re going for.
With rebirth, resurrection and redemption big on our minds since the wake-up call of Debi’s recent cancer journey, Encore! is a big theme in our lives these days. We’ve also thought hard about how to follow up Church House Concerts, the private musical events we hosted in our home from 2001 through 2009. One of the themes of our approach to battling cancer is a positive, encouraging attitude, filled with appreciation for life’s many gifts, despite being balanced at times by fear and uncertainty. Combining encouragement with a repeat performance on an artistic stage feels like a good fit for our approach to business and life, and fits the intention which underlies most of our work: valuing the beauty which surrounds us as we face the challenges of life.
As for exposing oneself to the inconvenient, and running the risk of being caught, we have found that some of our most interesting experiences come from being open to the unexpected, the inconvenient and the out-of-the-way. Peak moments in life so often happen when we are interrupted on the way to doing something else.
We hope Encoure Arts will encourage you to open yourself to the adventure of the unexpected, and take on the pleasure of finding beauty amidst the chaos of life.
Consider us your Encourers…
Debi and John