by Debra Cortese | Dec 1, 2017 | custom art & design, Debra Cortese Designs Handbags, Delaware River, Gift Certificates, GIFTS, Greeting Cards, honey bees, Narrowsburg, Nature Designs by Debra Cortese, Nature Lovers Gift List, nature photography, nature's energy, Patterns, photography, shopping
Original photo of the pine and oak trees that inspired Debra’s new bark patterns
Both the pine and oak bark patterns that are featured on clothing and home decor products were inspired by my love and curiosity for the variety of textures and colors of my surroundings. The models for this new design were actually the mature pine tree, the tall one behind the canoe in the landscape photo, and the hand-holding couple of oak trees that stand like guardians on the bank of the Delaware River just outside my studio window.
The trees and the surrounding plants (along with my gardens) serve as hosts to many creatures depending upon the time of year. In spring and summer, this particular pine tree is often inhabited by a hive of honeybees. They return each year to a long, narrow crevasse in the tree’s west side. I haven’t yet tasted their honey but am quite certain a visiting bear delights in his visits to this tree!
The colors and textures of the bark on this glorious pine tree were best captured with macro photography which I intently reviewed to select a most appealing detail section for the pine bark pattern. I’ve added images of several of the most popular ‘Pine Bark” products that are available from my Society6 shop.
I hope you enjoy the texture and colors of my tree bark designs. I certainly enjoyed creating them!
3 Oak Tree Bark Patterns by Debra Cortese
now available on clothing, accessories, tech and home decor products
click on images for product descriptions, options and pricing
by Percy Cat | Jan 24, 2014 | Abraham Hicks, art business, Art by Debra Cortese, Art Licensing, custom art & design, GIFTS, interests, life changes, my garden, Nature Designs by Debra Cortese, nature's energy
Finally produced a new design that feels right. Has been a bit of a challenge this winter to keep my muse and myself inspired. Very cold nights and days along with a bit too many ‘shades of gray’ of the no sun and dreary gray landscape in my studio window view.
However, a new White Heart on Waves of Pink & Orchid has emerged from yet another revisited photo. Seems I am drawn back in time on many levels since returning to my childhood hometown (Narrowsburg, NY).
The base inspiration for the new White Heart image was from my Miami garden so not that far back. What I once thought of as the dracaena plant turned out to be a cordyline and that is the basis for the new design. The fractal or overlaying grids of gray lines represent the energy lines of both the plants leaves and the interaction between the sun, the shadows and the plant. The White Heart developed after many variations of reflecting portions of the image in a variety of angles.
My intended outcome was to offer a design that is filled with the energy of unconditional LOVE. The surprise for me was that it is also filled with JOY and a SENSUALITY that evolved with the finished art.
Unfortunately, I did not complete this in time to have any handbags produced for Valentine Gifts, however, you can order it on a necklace, a locket and pillows through my Zazzle shop. http://www.zazzle.com/debracortesedesigns
White Heart on Waves of Pink and Orchid is available on custom products, as a print on paper or canvas and it is also available for licensing. Just pop me an email at: debra at debracortese.com and let me know what you have in mind.
In the meantime, I’m sending waves of LOVE and JOY and SENSUALITY out to the Universe and can’t wait to see what returns 😉 LAW OF ATTRACTION…
NOTE: This design will be available on handbags – look for it in the new Spring 2014 collection.
by Percy Cat | Jan 15, 2014 | ART, Art by Debra Cortese, Art Licensing, custom art & design, gicleés, Nature Designs by Debra Cortese, nature's energy, photography
I’ve been processing images for days and will now begin the tedious but very valuable process of listing each fine art print on my Etsy Shop. Stay tuned to see many updated images, new images and many old favorites. I’m sorting through hundreds of images and setting up collections of wildlife, florals and coffee art to get this shop back in business. Expect this will be another never-ending story 🙂
Here are a few preview images of what I’m working on:

I’ll post again when the shop is stocked!
Enjoy nature 🙂
by Percy Cat | Jul 9, 2013 | Art Licensing, calendars, Delaware River, GIFTS, nature's energy, photography

Pastel Sunset- Twilight Myst on The Delaware River – Narrowsburg, NY
available as a fine art print on paper and canvas.
Custom art and licensing available.
contact: www.debracortese.com
©2013 Debra Cortese – all rights reserved
by Percy Cat | Jul 3, 2013 | Art Licensing, designer handbags, Flower of Life, GIFTS, interests, my garden, nature's energy, Patterns

As many of you may know, I’ve been working several days a week at Silver Heights Farm, a certified organic plants nursery in Cochecton Center, NY. Every day has something new blooming or sprouting, and there’s always something to taste that I’ve never tried before.
Every day, we sow, prune, fertilize, re-pot, water, move, load and unload plants that will become food for literally thousands of people that live both close by and, up to hundreds of miles from the nursery’s location. Since watering or many of the garden tasks are a bit solitary, I imagine different scenarios for the plants: in one, a tiny pumpkin seed becomes a blue ribbon-winning pumpkin pie. In another, a combination of exotic basil and pepper plants creates the perfect accent in a secret recipe of a famous New York restaurant. My daydream continues to develop as Martha Stewart is the first person to taste this amazing new creation. She is so incredibly seduced by the aroma and flavors of this dish that she actually swoons and in one sweeping motion falls right out of her chair and is saved from injury by her new DCD Rainbow Snake Print Bag that was conveniently blocking the sharp edge of a newly chipped floor board. Martha knew when she first held this bag that there was something, an energy/vibration that felt, well, protective and she admired it because it was such a joyful, bold and bright pattern, full of strong, soothing vibrations. It reminded her of the Flower of Life patterns she had been observing by a designer somewhere in the Catskills…
I do have a great time imagining and visualizing the possibilities 😉
All of my designs are created with the intention of sharing the beauty, power and magic of nature. This Rainbow Snake design reflects the energy of a powerful garden ally, the northern water snake* and this particular print is derived from the beautiful snake that my co-workers at Silver Heights Farm found while clearing a new garden area near the upper Greenhouse.
The point of all of this is that I am inspired daily by the beauty, power and magic of nature and I am compelled to share it with you via my art.
So…
here are a few images to demonstrate the process of creating this Rainbow Snake pattern:

left: Corinna, Leona, Jonathan and Debra (behind camera phone) trying to determine what kind of snake has come to meet us.
center: Apparently you determine the sex of a snake by markings on the underbelly, near the tail. I knew at once that the markings would make a fabulous pattern/print for my bags regardless of the sex of the snake!
right: Here’s the first example of the new Rainbow Snake Print on Debra’s casual tote bag. Check back at www.debracortese.com for more styles and products with this design. Click on the photos for larger views.


*note: This is the year of the Snake in Chinese astrology, another very interesting ‘connection’ of energies!
Here are just a few links to learn more about the year of the”Water Snake”:
http://visual.ly/what-will-year-water-snake-mean-you
http://www.chineseastrology.com/2013snakeyear.html
http://apanache.wordpress.com/2013-year-of-the-water-snake/