Biography

Shelaghley Woods is a partnership of Louisiana artists Debbie Paul and Jo O’Quinn. Residents of the Aloha community near Colfax, the two women share a love of nature, the peace and quiet of their rural homestead, and creating art. For many years, their artistic endeavors focused on creating original, one-of-a-kind art from wood as furniture and woodturnings. Now, they also create fine art paintings in various mediums, including pastel, watercolor and mixed media. Contact at Shelaghleywoods@gmail.com.

Debbie Paul grew up in rural central Louisiana in a close-knit family that farmed, raised livestock, hunted and fished together. She graduated from Mississippi University for Women and then pursued graduate studies in wildlife management. During her professional career as a wildlife biologist, she worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at several National Wildlife Refuges and was trained and commissioned as a federal wildlife law enforcement agent. She later directed the nongame and endangered wildlife program of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. About 25 years ago she found her way back home to Louisiana.

At home with Jo on the homestead of mixed hardwoods, pastures and bayous that has been in the O’Quinn family for generations, Debbie spends most of her time caring for the old farm as a very tiny private wildlife refuge. She studies art while resting from the physical labor of the farm, and enjoys painting because it’s just pure fun.

“As a woodworker, I try to give form to the inherent natural beauty of the wood. I’m comfortably immersed in the things I know best — nature, working with traditional tools, math and science. As a painter, however, I’m exploring an entirely new and different world. I’m trying to capture a fleeting, ephemeral moment in time — the light, the mood, the emotion. It’s terrifically challenging and wonderful fun!”

 

Gallery of Work