Bios—Deborah Koff-Chapin

The illustration on the cover of Bones That Float is the inventive artwork of Deborah Koff-Chapin, artist, vocalist, author, teacher, independent publisher, and originator of the process of Touch Drawing. The picture is called Soul Card #12 and it was given to Kari by a friend during the long wait for the adoption of her son to finalize.

On her last day at Cooper Union in 1974, Deborah discovered Touch Drawing in a moment of creative exploration. When touching a paper towel that had been placed on a freshly inked printing plate, she found that the pressure formed marks on the underside. Lines coming directly from her fingertips! She laughed hysterically with this discovery. In a state of ecstatic revelation, spontaneous images poured through her hands.

Although this experience had the appearance of simply being play, under the surface was something profound and powerful. Deborah knew this process was not for her personal use alone. It felt as if she was receiving a gift from outside of time; a technique of creative expression that was aligned with evolution of human consciousness.

Deborah followed through on this calling to share the process of Touch Drawing with others. Deborah founded The Center for Touch Drawing, a networking point for the dissemination of Touch Drawing into various fields spanning artistic, therapeutic, educational and spiritual practices. She has presented workshops and slide shows at numerous conferences and educational institutions. Deborah is an adjunct professor at California Institute of Integral Studies and University of Creation Spirituality. She has served on the board of directors of the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association.

Deborah is the author of Drawing Out Your Soul and The Touch Drawing Facilitator Workbook. She has produced multi-media educational media including a video, audio CD’s and Touch Drawing materials kits. Each summer since 1997, she has convened the Annual Touch Drawing Gathering, which attracts an international community of Touch Drawing practitioners and facilitators.

Over the years, Deborah’s own images have developed to a transpersonal level expression. In 1995, she created a vessel for their path into the world in the form of SoulCards. SoulCards 1&2 are now are sold worldwide and are used by therapists, workshop leaders, creative writing groups, families, and a broad range of individuals. She had a major exhibition of her work with Touch Drawing at California Institute of Integral Studies in the fall of 2004.

Deborah lives with her husband, architect Ross Chapin, on an island in Puget Sound. Together they co-founded a multi-modal sacred arts circle, which has been ongoing since its inception in 1983. Ross and Deborah have one daughter, Aleah, who is a budding artist in her own right.