“Cavenaugh, seeking a fluid intensity, approaches the ecstatic clarity of Walter Anderson or Minnie Evans. [Her] nearly primitive directness resonate[s] with sincerity and honesty.”
“Cavenaugh… paints in colors that recall an Eastern European city or a Turkish Kilm or perhaps Matisse after a visit to a textile factory.”
“The color is so vivid. The brightness in each and every one of these [works] communicates a kind of joy that one doesn’t normally see in paint.”
“In these energetic...pieces the images play hide and seek, creating new perspectives. The overall patterns introduce your eyes to Cavenaugh’s stories, pictures with which to fly.”
“Colorful, spirited paintings… she paints things I like in a very unique way.George White, Cincinnati Inquirer”
“Among seven of the best-known expression artists in the country.”
“Cavenaugh paints what she knows best – home…Fans of Cavenaugh’s work connect with the stories she paints.”
“Her (Cavenaugh) scenes invite the viewer into her world where they can recognize their own.”
“She (Cavenaugh) is known for her portrayal of comfortable scenes and familiar images with which everyone can identify…. Whether it’s families in their homes, on the beach, or in the park, Cavenaugh’s watercolors are vivid and imaginative.”
“She writes on all her paintings, whether it is a sentence or a fragment of a sentence. ‘They (the sayings) are always positive in nature,’ said Deborah. “They are a verification or a validation of what I believe or what I want to remember that is good.”
“Cavenaugh’s works are of lived-in rooms and happy homes.”
“Deborah Cavenaugh brings a fresh and relaxing style of impressionist painting… using familiar memories to connect the viewer to her paintings.”
“As playful as they are powerful, the Madonnas embrace motifs of women’s ordinary work, issues of choice, and the amusing notion of having one’s furniture arranged on the beach.”
“Apparently, she’s struck upon a visual language that, to her, is saying something for people that they can’t say for themselves.”
“Her work is extremely colorful and ornate, evoking a sense of warmth, security and pleasure of a home.”