Deb Robinson AKA "Miss Enthusiasm" by Carol Jinbo 

      Deb definitely is one of the most enthusiastic, and impassioned people I have ever known.  If she believes in something she will be 100% behind it.  Be sure not to get in her way if she wants something!  She will mow you down.  I don't mean that in a nasty way, what I mean is that she is a driven person.  Deb is originally from West Terre Haute.  Her family spent several of her young formative years in Phoenix, Arizona, where she developed an interest in horses and cowboys (which was to have an impact in later years).  They returned to West T and built their “dream house” where, her mother still lives today.  Her beloved dad, Charles, and older sister, Diana, are no longer living and are sadly missed and never forgotten.   Deb's mom, Phyllis, works for Vigo County Public Library; she has a younger sister Janis who lives in Marshall, Illinois and has two sons.  Her brother Steven lives in Springfield, Illinois and has a daughter, Madeline.  

Many of you know that Deb lives on a 100-acre farm with Steve Decker, her  boyfriend of 15 years.  Steve used to ride in the rodeo circuit and is a bona fide cowboy right down to the boots and spurs!  They have lots of animals, cows and horses, she said.  The cattle are there primarily to help train the cutting horses.  Steve’s business is training horses for all types of activities, but his specialty is training cutting horses.  Cutting is a sport involving sorting one cow from a herd and keeping it out for a few minutes—the horse and rider are scored on how well they perform.  Deb loves animals!!  She said one Christmas Steve gave her a 6-month old Brahma bull calf, which she immediately named Zeus.  He's a stud, Zeus not Steve!  (Now how many of you ladies would like a gift like that for Christmas?-Deb was thrilled and that's what counts.)  She said that Zeus is just like a dog, he follows her around like a puppy when she is out in the field and his favorite treat is bananas.  Plans to buy two peacocks (Ramses and Cleopatra) are in the works. They have had a request in for two years to purchase a Zebra.  They are not sure when they should buy the peacocks and Zebra (who will be named Zorro) because they are going to lose their farm.  They are going to lose the farm because of the building of highway 641bypass project.  Some of you may have seen Deb on TV at public forums about building this highway. The cloverleaf for the project is located in the middle of their farm.  Deb gave them a battle before it was all said and done.  I did say that she was a fighter didn't I?  

From as far back as Deb can remember she has made artwork and sold it.  She said that even at 15 years of age that she was selling her artwork.  In her “biker” days, she used to decorate motorcycle tanks.  Deb says that oil painting is one of her specialties, but I especially enjoy her sculpture.  She has had award-winning sculptures--one of which is pictured, and is a tribute to her sister, Diana.  She made plaster casts of her face for this sculpture, which was then made metal.  This is one of the smallest sculptures I have seen of Deb.  She is into making monolithic size sculptures.  One of her welded sculptures is at least 12 feet tall with field rock as it's base. Deb has been taking art classes here since 1971and will eventually get a BFA in studio art.  She has never been in much of a hurry to get a degree, as she felt she didn’t need one to do art, but the credits just slowly piled up and now the degree is in sight!   Deb still has a major sculptural project planned for herself.  As some of you know Deb's horse, Guinevere died last year.  Guinevere was 13 years old and her death was quite a loss to Deb.  When Deb knew that Guinevere was dieing she made an  investment cast of her horse's head and neck.  Deb said that she plans to use the cast to make an awesome sculpture of Guinevere in metal as a tribute to her horse.  

 Deb's love of art has led her to Italy twice now.  She said that her first trip to Europe is censored and off limits.  Be sure to ask her about that one- she thinks everyone knows those stories!  The second trip to Europe she took last summer and did it in fine style.  She took her two nephews, Trevor, 18 and Kevin, 16, as their graduation present from her.  Steve went with them too on their 20 day, seven-country tour. Deb was the only one of the group who had flown before.  (She is a brave lady!)   Deb said that she out lasted them all.  The boys thought it was great because they got to drink a beer in one—she changed that to several—of the countries.  She took them to Amsterdam and they saw "the district" there but were more interested in seeing the house that was Anne Frank's hiding place.  She took them on a gondola in Venice and they climbed almost to the top of the Eiffel Tower.  Her travels with her nephews sounds close to "Auntie Mame." (Don't you wish that you had had an aunt like Deb when you were graduating from high school?  Guess what NOW Deb is taking an Italian language class- go figure!  She said that she has been teased quite a bit about that fact.