About Us

Debra Prather Samples is the Artist in Residence at Talisman Trading Company

A native Texan and Austinite since 1997.
An art honor student in high school, Debra spent most of her early adult life as a single parent.
During this time she wore many hats: graphic artist for a local newspaper, seamstress for
bands in the ‘70s and not the least a stint as a dessert caterer. The “urge” to create resurfaced
in her mid thirties, turning to collage as a creative outlet as it has always been her first love.
Ventures took many turns into jewelry making, bookbinding, paste paper, box making, mosaics,
flat art, mixed media, and recycling unusable furniture into functional art. During the 1990’s
focused on the business of jewelry making, but mixed media and collage were always around
the corner.

Shortly after moving to Austin, Debra became involved in care-giving for disabled family
members and that continued as her focus for 8 years. That phase is now complete and she
has re-engaged in creative ventures.

Debra believes that art is a catalyst to open the mind and stretch the imagination. Its purpose is
to uplift and transport the spirit of the viewer, instilling a different sense into the world of the
moment. This is why her first love is photographic collage. Photographs are perceived as
reality upon first glance, it is only after moments the viewer sees that it is something else
entirely. In that moment an alternate viewpoint registers. Using images as others do color,
Debra manually constructs the assemblage, and watches the concept unfold out of her hand
into a visual experience.

Debra is currently a member of First Frontier Collage Society.

Shows Debra has participated in include: The Cottonwood Festival, Deep Ellum Arts Festival,
Montage Art Festival, The Women’s Chorus of Dallas trunk shows, The Blu Dog Market of Deep
Ellum, Austin Bead Society Shows, Women and Their Work, and various small art shows
throughout the Dallas area. Her work has also been carried by local galleries in Dallas and is
owned by private collectors.

Donations to charitable auctions include: Women’s Service League of Dallas, The Lakewood
Service League, and Dallas Museum of Art PM League.

AUSTIN MUSIC FLOWS…….like a river. By Debra Prather Samples.

A mixed media 10 foot Gibson Guitar.

As the sun sets on Austin and the violet crown surrounds the Capital building at the top of the
guitar, music flows down the neck and as it reaches the body the strings break free and shower
Austin with creativity making Austin the Live Music Capital of the World.

From the base of the guitar, Congress Avenue looks back at the capital where the Austin
skyline has been recreated with local music venues.

The back of the guitar is Barton Springs at sunset, backed by the sign bill fence at Stubbs. This
collage was created from music venue exteriors with the exception of Stevie's statue.

(Austin is known as the violet crown city for the hues which come up in the hills at dusk.)