Deborah Downey

Born in Indiana, Deborah Downey moved with her family to California when she was 4 years old. She spent her early years in California and returned to Indiana at age 13. Within a year of returning to Indiana, she was singing on stage with some of the best musicians of the 1960s. Downey began her singing career as an opening act with the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars, singing with various groups as they appeared with the Caravan in Indiana. Over a period of three years she shared a stage with Tom Jones, Glen Campbell, the Turtles, and Paul Revere and the Raiders. With a taste for stardom, Downey, then 18, decided to return to California. She managed to achieve modest success in popular music. Entirely on her own, she snagged some recording studio work in commercials and radio programming. Her high point occurred with the Original Star Trek episode, "The Way To Eden" (1968), in which played music, accompanied by Mr. Spock, and sang. it has been released on video, and Downey's photo in full costume and makeup also appears in Star Trek trading cards. On one of the trading cards, Downey and Leonard Nimoy (who played Spock) are playing musical instruments in a "Space Hippie Jam Session". She began appearing at Star Trek conventions throughout the country, signing autographs for the loyal fans. When she returned to the East in 1969 she put her singing career on hold when she married and raised her daughter, Rain, and a recent graduate of the School of Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. After a period as a homemaker, Downey returned to singing doing a variety of background and studio work. Then in 1984, misfortune struck. She was afflicted with TMJ syndrome, an ailment that affects the muscular functions of the jaw. "It was excruciating ... [a]ny movement of my jaw caused pain, and it hurt most when I would sing". The condition worsened, ending her professional singing career. After examining her options, she concluded that her greatest talents were singing and painting portraits. With one career over, she prepared for another. She inquired about setting up a kiosk to sell her portraits and paintings. The small business that she had envisioned in 1985 as a three month, pre-Christmas stint, caught on and flourished in its original location for ten years. In 1997, Downey established DeFazio Artworks in Indianapolis, It has grown quickly and she now has a nationwide clientele that she has developed over the years. Working from live sittings or photographs, she paints portraits on commission in Pastels or Oils. Her Fine Art Portraits are owned by a variety of people. Some of her more notable portraits are owned by Indy race-car driver Scott Goodyear, country singer Randy Travis, a United States congressman, and several corporate CEOs. One of her current projects is painting Star Trek characters. She finished portraits of 12 antique cars for an Auto Museum and was commissioned to recreate the photos of the seven founders of a National Sorority. She has illustrated three children's books. Although Downey has painted many subjects including people, dogs, horses, cars, boats and planes, her favorite subject is the human face. "I am still amazed at the small nuances in people's faces that make us all look so different ... We all have two eyes, a nose and a mouth, but every person is an individual ... It is such a challenge to capture the spirit of the person being painted. When you get it right and the portrait reflects the natural beauty and dignity of the person, it is very rewarding". The TMJ that first disabled Downey's slowly disappeared. She is now able to sing again in her church choir. When asked if she ever misses her singing career she said, "I have no regrets. One door closed and another one opens. I love my career as an artist, and I love making people happy with my artwork."