As Debra McGauley-Eichhorn weaves around the Studio Arc art studio, helping artists from The Arc of Essex County’s Day Programs work on their techniques and translate their creative thoughts into beautiful pieces of art, you would never know that her original calling had her in a very different field, studying business administration and economics and then law, and working as an attorney for about a decade.

But when she became a parent, Deb also became a stay-at-home mom. And when her oldest child was diagnosed with autism, “that really changed the whole direction of what I did.”

As Deb’s son grew older and she started thinking about how to go back to work, she says she took inspiration from her lifelong passion for art and started teaching art to children with autism. That led to her working in Day Programs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities for about 10 years before becoming the Creative Arts Manager at The Arc of Essex County, shortly after Studio Arc opened in the spring of 2023.

“I just love working with this population,” Deb says. “I love the programs we do for all ages, and I especially enjoy working with our adults during the week. They’re just so authentic with their art, and they really put it all out there.”

Deb makes sure to introduce art topics by teaching not just techniques, but also about artists and art history as part of her curriculum. “I love to hear that one of our artists will visit a museum or see something on TV and recognize it from our lessons,” she says. “There’s a tremendous sense of pride that comes from not just the art they create, but from all the learning that goes into each piece.”

A highlight, she says, is when the artist Gina Beavers—who has exhibited at MoMA and the Whitney Museum, among other leading institutions—visited and spoke to the Arc artists who had been creating work inspired by Beavers. “Seeing the pride in our Studio Arc artists as they shared their work and posed with Ms. Beavers, as well as seeing the humble delight in Ms. Beavers, was wonderful to share.”

Another milestone was a photography class outing at Crestmont Country Club, where her photography students had the chance to practice landscape photography using different equipment and cameras, while finding beautiful images all around them.

And just seeing how excited art class participants are when they arrive, she says, is always a high point. “That’s the best feeling ever.”

Although Deb has taught a variety of media and techniques to all ages, from painting to collaging to sculpting to embossing to candle-making to fiber arts and more, using a variety of media and equipment, she is always exploring new opportunities and thinking of new and exciting programs that can be offered, rattling off ideas such as quilting and fashion design.

She says her own art has been influenced by her work with individuals with IDD. “They have taught me to look at art with a fresh perspective, and they inspire me to be more playful in my art and to be less critical of my own artwork.”

As for her past life as a lawyer, she says she still draws on those skills, such as problem solving. “I still have to figure out what I want my students to learn and what is the goal of our project. Then I must think about how I can present ideas and information to my students in a way that they will understand and be able to be successful in their art.  One thing that my students and my past experience has taught me: I need to look at things from lots of different perspectives.”