There's a moment Debra Kiel describes that explains everything about her art. She was sitting under a tree when she heard the words:"You are created to create."
For most people, that might have been a passing thought. For Deb, it became a life's work.
What makes that moment even more remarkable is where it came from. Deb was born unable to see clearly. Eye surgery, eye patches, and glasses eventually corrected her vision. But once the world came into focus, Deb never stopped loving beautiful details. The fine grain of bark. The way branches reach. The way two people look when they're completely absorbed in each other and the world around them falls away.
She's been capturing these intricate details ever since.
The Work: Humans and Trees, Entwined
Deb's series (which you can find on the walls of our Railway Ave location)Nature's Embrace, is exactly what the name suggests — human figures woven into trees, held by them, and reaching through them. Her work represents love in all its forms: the joy of new life, the grief of loss, the quiet contentment of a long marriage, the electric charge of passion.
Each piece is rooted in a specific tree. Ageless Adoration was created for her parents' 58th wedding anniversary, and is built around a giant oak. Romantically Relaxed unfolds inside a mangrove, growing at the warm edge of the ocean. End Friend was made for a dear friend who passed. Healing Hand for a breast cancer survivor. Cherished Child and Three Tree for babies born into the world.
The trees aren't decoration. They're the emotional architecture of each piece, and intentionally chosen because they carry the same weight as the moment they're holding.
"Since trees are literally the heartbeat of our existence," Deb says, "and love is the only true energy that has a real effect on the world, humans entwined in beautiful strong trees just naturally came together for me."
The Process: A Pencil With a Mind of Its Own
Deb starts with a feeling, or a specific tree. From there, she sketches — often extending beyond the edges of the paper, adding more as the image demands it. Once the sketch is complete, she traces it to a clean sheet, then again to acid-free cotton paper.
The final image is scanned and printed on high-quality canvas using archival carbon ink — a process called Giclée, which preserves the richness and detail of the original with extraordinary fidelity. Deb sells both originals and Giclée prints, and she's proud of the quality of both.
She describes the experience of making art this way: "An artist is simply a facilitator for the great creator — and most times my pencil has a mind of its own."
There's something freeing in that. The image isn't forced. It arrives.
The Values: Planting Trees, Literally
Deb has always loved to garden. She donates a percentage of her art sales to One Tree Planted, and has helped plant trees through the Urban Forest Initiative in Canmore and Tree Canada. She meditates while walking or cycling through the forest as often as she can.
In our conversation, Deb referenced an Andy Goldsworthy quote that really resonated—"We often forget that we are nature. Nature is not something separate from us. So when we say that we have lost our connection to nature, we have lost our connection to ourselves"— which, she says, is one of her favourites. And she believesNature's Embrace is a visual expression of exactly that.
Deb’s art doesn't portray nature as a backdrop. It portrays nature asus.
The Connection: Why Eclipse Felt Right
Deb's relationship with Eclipse started the way the best things do — casually, without agenda. She came in for a chai latte and some gluten-free goodies. She loved the energy of the upstairs space. And she noticed, almost immediately, that good coffee and good art felt like a natural fit.
Now she manages the artwork at the Railway Ave gallery — curating alongside her artist friendAnna Harrouche, whose work also hangs in the space. Their approach is instinctive: bring the work in, see how it feels, and go from there. Deb is also working on design upgrades to the space so that each piece has room to breathe and be properly seen.
"Artwork always adds creative energy and makes a space feel alive," she says. "I would love people to feel relaxed and calm — surrounded by beautiful nature and tree art, live plants, healthy food, great coffee, in a simple clean atmosphere. A place where they can be quiet, or have good conversation, or creative time of their own."
She's seen what happens when the art connects. An older woman who stood in front ofPleasurable Passion and was reminded of her love for her husband. A young man who boughtCreator Connection — not religious, he said, but moved by the image of a family reaching toward something greater than themselves. Work sold internationally, hanging in homes and spaces Deb has never visited.
"I am honoured to have it bring love and nature into a space," she says, "simply by hanging them on the wall."
Why We Let the Art Choose the Space
We've always believed that the environment you drink your coffee in matters just as much as what's in it. The space, the light, the art on the walls — all of it shapes the moment you're in, and can make or break the experience.
What we love about Deb's work is that it slows you down in our space, and reminds you that the tree outside the window and the person across the table deserve your full attention - and should be paid attention to.
You can find Nature's Embrace upstairs at our Railway Ave location, at the Canmore Artist Guild Gallery, and at The Coast Hotel. Deb recently completed a solo exhibition of 17 pieces at ArtsPlace in Canmore. Her work is also available through her Instagram: @debralkiel_artist
Deb's go-to order at Eclipse, for the record: a half-sweet large chai latte with almond milk and a gluten-free pastry. Which occurs often.
Are You a Local Canmore Artist?
Eclipse Coffee Roasters on Railway Ave is on a mission to support local artists and creatives in the Bow Valley. If you're a local artist interested in exhibiting your work or being featured on the Eclipse blog, we'd love to hear from you.
Send us a messageand let's set up a time to chat.
