Shoebox Alumni Spotlight: Debbie Korbel
- shoeboxartsla
- Jul 3
- 4 min read
From Times Square to Steven Tyler's Collection
Debbie Korbel's advice for emerging artists starts with this: "If you have some wealthy and/or famous friends and relatives, nepo away! If not, keep reading."
I love an artist who leads with humor and honesty. Especially one whose work has been featured on Better Things, hung as banners in Times Square, and collected by Steven Tyler. (Steven Tyler! As in Aerosmith Steven Tyler!)
But Debbie's path to those moments started somewhere much more relatable—slowly, quietly, without really knowing she was being "pulled out to sea" by art-making. No grand revelation, no dramatic origin story. Just the slow realization that she was someone who chose to spend hours alone making something from nothing, and that process satisfied her.
Sometimes the most profound callings sneak up on us like that.
Tornado-Style Mess and Catalyst Bones
Debbie's studio practice reflects this same honest, unromantic approach. Depending on where she is in a project, her day might start with cleaning up "a tornado-style mess (I am not exaggerating)" from whatever she just finished. "The clean-up is sort of my palette-cleanser between projects and gives me a minute to regroup my thoughts."
Her mixed-media work incorporates everything: driftwood, copper, steel scraps, glass, bones, cardboard, wire. Sometimes she starts with an idea and figures out materials.
Sometimes she starts with materials—or even one specific item, like a bone or piece of wood—and lets that be the catalyst for an entire sculpture.
This flexible approach feels revolutionary in a world obsessed with artistic "vision" and grand concepts. What if the bone tells you what it wants to become?
Comedy as Artistic Influence
When asked about artistic influences, Debbie doesn't mention painters or sculptors. She talks about comedians: Ricky Gervais, Tim Minchin, Nate Bargatze, John Mulaney. "Some of my work reflects my own sense of humor and I think that's why I find a good comedy show so inspiring."
There's something beautiful about an artist who finds inspiration in wit, intellect, and comedic skill—who understands that making people laugh requires the same timing, observation, and craft as making them feel anything else.
Her recent work for "Days of Reverie" at Descanso Gardens showcased pieces inspired by indigenous flora and fauna. Even in a garden setting, you can imagine her sense of humor playing through the work, that slight wink that keeps art from taking itself too seriously.
The Freedom of Not Needing to Sell
Debbie's refreshingly honest about privilege: "I have been fortunate and have not had to worry about making a living off of my art sales so I never really tried to bend myself to the will of what was popular or what would sell the most."
This freedom has allowed her artistic voice to evolve in exactly the direction it wanted to go. "I think I've become less inhibited—for better or worse, ha ha. And we haven't hit rock bottom yet!"
That last line is pure Debbie—the comedian's timing, the self-deprecating joy, the permission to keep getting weirder.
The Shoebox Connection
Debbie's first professional exhibit happened through a friend showing her work to a gallery owner. Great! But then what? "I had no idea how to make that happen again."
Enter Shoebox Arts, recommended by another artist friend. "The group meetings at Shoebox were always fun, reassuring and enlightening. It was very helpful to learn from the experience of others and not have to reinvent the wheel."
Kristine provided exactly what Debbie needed: gallery recommendations, website improvement, social media skills, professional introductions. But beyond that, Shoebox offered Debbie opportunities—a solo show at Shoebox Projects, participation in the "Perceive Me" traveling exhibition, interviews in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine and Diversions LA.
Sometimes the most valuable thing a community can offer isn't just advice, but actual doors opening. Actual opportunities. Actual platforms.
From Schlepping to Steven Tyler
Debbie's career milestones read like a beautiful progression of "wait, what?" moments. The first sculpture sale. Banners in Times Square. Work featured on Better Things. Steven Tyler as a collector.
But her advice stays grounded in the practical: "Take advantage of any opportunity to show your work—this will require some schlepping."
Schlepping. Not networking or strategic positioning. Schlepping—the honest, unglamorous work of carrying your art from place to place, hoping someone says yes.
Her practical wisdom continues: Pay attention to calls for art. Build gallery relationships slowly. Don't be afraid to walk into galleries and feel out the situation. Have nice business cards and color brochures. Clean up your Instagram. Support other artists' work.
"I haven't had luck with email queries—but you might. If there is a gallery you like for your work—contact them. Why not?"
Why not, indeed.
The Beautiful Mess of Making
What I love most about Debbie's story is how it normalizes the messy, nonlinear reality of artistic careers. No overnight success, no single breakthrough moment. Just years of showing up, cleaning up tornado messes, following bones and driftwood where they want to go.
Her upcoming participation in Hawthorne Gallery's Annual Gala 2025 in Big Sur feels like the perfect next chapter—another opportunity to show work, meet people, see what happens.
In a culture that mythologizes artistic genius and overnight success, Debbie's story offers something more valuable: proof that steady showing up, combined with humor and community support, can lead to Steven Tyler's collection and Times Square banners and TV show features.
All while never losing the sense of humor that makes the tornado-style messes worth cleaning up.
Her trajectory from "I had no idea how to make that happen again" to confident gallery relationships and national exhibitions shows what's possible when you combine talent with community support and a willingness to schlep.
Sometimes the most profound artistic journey is the one that sneaks up on you slowly, quietly, pulling you out to sea one bone, one piece of driftwood, one gallery introduction at a time.
Follow Debbie's work on Instagram @debbiekorbel and visit debbiekorbel.com. Catch her work at Hawthorne Gallery's Annual Gala 2025 in Big Sur—because who doesn't want to see art that makes Steven Tyler happy?
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