Thomas Deans Fine Art is pleased to announce its first autumn exhibition, "Magic Carpet Ride," featuring the paintings of two remarkable artists, Greg Decker and Elizabeth Sheppell. The exhibition will open on September 8th with a reception for the artists from 5:00 to 7:30 pm and run through October 2nd. On Saturday, September 9th, Greg Decker will give an artist talk at the gallery at 2:00 PM.

The title of the exhibition derives from Decker’s series of paintings showing figures on magic carpets and Sheppell’s vibrantly patterned abstracts that suggest magic carpets.

Greg Decker, an internationally recognized painter now based in Nashville, presents a series of mesmerizing figurative oil paintings on aluminum. Decker's masterful technique and unique vision create a harmonious blend of realism and imagination. He has been a professional oil painter for over thirty-five years. He was raised in Congo (Belgian Congo/Africa) and that still shows through in his work. His other early influences were European.

He spent twelve years in Philadelphia, then twelve years in New York City, where He taught at both MoMA and at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as a Visual Teaching Artist through Lincoln Center Institute. During this time he spent valuable time in Europe (UK, France, Italy) painting, and studying major collections, the results of which inform his paintings.

Greg Decker is a visionary painter. His work epitomizes the passion that comes from a deep love of art, poetry, and music. His paintings show how art is both the consolation for, and the voice of, a lifetime's experience.

(Julyan Davis)

Elizabeth Sheppell, a highly accomplished Atlanta artist, will present a stunning series of abstract acrylic paintings on paper that conjure the imaginary splendor of magic carpets through intricate compositions, and vibrant color palettes.

Life can take you on many paths that help mold you. My paintings are a journey they take me on. The love of color and textures, building up, and tearing down is such an exciting process. Working through a piece and finding its way to something new to inspire a collection is thrilling. I work on multiple pieces at a time in an organized state of chaos. My studio practice has been a messy one for over 20+ years. It’s part of the process. I think of myself as a true color lover and always pushing my methods and materials. I have been lucky to experience and work in creative industries where I have gained so much; fortunate to travel to foreign countries; to open my mind and inspire further. Elizabeth holds a bachelor of fine arts degree from the Pratt Institute in New York. She began showing her paintings in 1996 in Atlanta where she resides currently. She has exhibited her work throughout the eastern United States.

(Elizabeth Sheppell)