The artistic team of Debbie and Stephen Sisson will be displaying their multi-media talent at WesBanco Parkersburg during May. (Photo provided)

PARKERSBURG – The artistic team of Debbie and Stephen Sisson will be displaying their multi-media talent at WesBanco Parkersburg during May.

“Since we retired our family room has been turned into a working studio,” Debbie said. “We each have our own drawing table and spend time drawing and painting there, often together.”

Debbie works in acrylic, oil, watercolor, pen and ink, pencil and prismacolor. She graduated from Marshall University with a degree in art education and received a master of arts degree along with additional graduate hours. She was an art teacher for 38 years in the public school system. Debbie has exhibited her art for many years and received numerous awards.

“My husband and I both had our work featured in a ‘by invitation only’ display held in Beckley and sponsored by Jose L. Rizo in March of 2025. It was called ‘Life in America’ and had several other invited artists,” said Debbie.

A few of her exhibitions have been at the Black Walnut Festival, she has a piece in the permanent collection at the Erma Byrd Gallery at the University of Charleston, is a Tamarack juried artist participating in several shows, and exhibited solo and with several group shows at the Parkersburg Art Center and the WVWS juried exhibit at The Arts Center in Elkins. She enjoys working with watercolor but has spent recent years working with acrylic on canvas. Debbie enjoys camping and has found many inspirational images while out in nature.

“I enjoy creating nature and animal images as well as buildings due to their challenging perspective and details,” said Debbie.

Stephen paints in oil, pen and ink, color pencils, charcoal, gouache and watercolors.

“My drawings and paintings reflect my interest in items with technical themes such as historic buildings as well as historic figures,” said Stephen.

He has recently developed more of an interest in “Plein Air” painting/drawing and urban sketching, which simply means going outside to paint and draw.

“My goal is to produce artwork that viewers can relate or have a connection with,” said Stephen.

He received a bachelor of fine arts degree from West Virginia State College. Stephen has exhibited his art at the Black Walnut Festival Art Show, Battle Days Art Show in Point Pleasant, French Colony Art Show in Gallipolis, Cultural Center Juried Art Show, and Ravenswood Arts LLC. Two pieces of his artwork were sold at the Juried Exhibits at the Cultural Center exhibition called “Historic Buildings” and he received second place for his drawing of the Jackson County Courthouse. He has received a variety of award ribbons ranging from first place to honorable mention in several of his exhibitions. Stephen is a juried artist at Tamarack, Allied Artists of West Virginia and Tri-State Art Association.

The Sisson art exhibit will be on display at WesBanco Bank, 415 Market St., Parkersburg, during May. Their exhibit may be viewed during regular business hours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays.