Debbie Mount, art teacher at Redlands gallery, is featured artist

The current art show at the Redlands Art Association features longtime art teacher Debbie Mount. Popular motifs in the show include paintings of Jackie, the bald eagle in Big Bear who died this summer.

“The day after [Jackie] passed away, I did her portrait,” Mount said.

Her featured show runs through Oct. 30 at the Redlands Art Association.

Mount has a lifelong passion for art. For 35 years, she taught art classes to kids of all ages, including 20 years at Rialto High School. In retirement, she works as a substitute art teacher at elementary schools in the Rialto School District.

For the past seven years, Mount has also taught classes at the Redlands gallery. This fall, she teaches oils and acrylics for adults, as well as 3D art and color theory for kids.

“Kids are so funny,” she said. “They are so adaptable and so trusting. If you are willing to invest in them, then wow.”

She added, “When you teach, you learn too.”

In her classes, students talk about making mistakes into masterpieces, something adults have a harder time doing.

“I’ve gotten much better about that,” she said.

In one of her paintings, Mount painted over a self-portrait from 35 years ago with hydrangeas. The figure of Michelangelo’s Sibyl became more prominent, and an old painting became brand new.

In lessons, she worked on pouring paint with students. That technique has found its way into her own paintings as a sort of abstract background for her fondness for realism.

“I’m not an abstract artist,” she said. “But I’m trying to loosen up.”

“I like all mediums but I’m very passionate about oils,” she said. “I like the richness of it. That it doesn’t dry so quickly, so you have time to blend.”

For the past two years, Mount has worked with photography and light, then painted the images.

“I love light and reflective light,” she said. “And I really like water drops.”

“I’ve been working a lot more from true life,” she said, quoting Leonardo da Vinci: “[Life] is the best teacher.”

Scenes from nature, still lifes and flowers are examples of that.

Most of the paintings for the show were completed in the past three months.

“It’s been so hot, I started painting the ocean because it helped me feel cooler,” she said.

Recent work features Twin Peaks, Prospect Park in Redlands, beach scenes in California and local wildlife, including the eagles in Big Bear.

After Mount painted her portrait of Jackie, her sister suggested they make cards for local nature and raptor centers, including the Ojai Raptor Center, which treated Jackie. Mount gave them permission to print the image.

Ojai Raptor Center replied: “Thank you for taking the time to write to us and for caring so deeply about wildlife. Your thoughtful words, kindness and support mean a great deal to our team.”

Mount grew up in the mountains but lives in San Bernardino today.

“I did feel connected [to Jackie] and I thought, that beautiful bird,” she said.

She researched bald eagles and found Native American descriptions of them as messengers, as well as their symbolism of freedom in the U.S. She named one of her eagle paintings “Freedom.”

Octopuses found their way into her paintings after she watched the 2026 movie “Remarkably Bright Creatures” with Sally Field.

“I’m trying to paint things that are meaningful to me,” she said.

When she was recovering from hip surgery a year ago, she did still-life paintings of the flowers she received at the hospital.

“It was so therapeutic,” she said. “It’s so helpful for people to have something to do, when they can’t get around.”

She got through college by painting commissioned portraits. But one self-portrait stands out to her, from her battle with breast cancer in 2004.

“Losing my hair was probably the hardest thing,” she said.

She started a cancer club called “Students Stopping Cancer.” Forty kids joined, and it ran for 14 years.

“One day I was irritated with my high school kids,” she said. “You guys are driving me crazy,” and she took her wig off and threw it across the classroom.

“And they all went, Oh, you have a really good head.”

In that self-portrait, she embraces baldness.

Mount's art has received numerous awards, including at San Bernardino Valley College. She has painted murals and made stained-glass art for churches in the past.

“I’m so grateful for being in this show,” she said.

To her, art should be joyful or uplifting.

“Art reflects who you are.”

Her motto is “Attitude is gratitude.” 

About the Redlands Art Association
Address: 215 E State St, Redlands CA 92373.
www.redlands-art.org
RAA social media:  facebook.com/RedlandsArtAssociation and @redlandsartassociation on Instagram.
Opening hours: Mon – Sat 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays closed.