Growing up in New England and New York’s Hudson River Valley, I was constantly surrounded by beautiful textiles, antiques, jewelry and other treasures that had been passed down in my family.  During my childhood, our family travels to Europe – Spain, Italy, Switzerland, France and England – afforded me the opportunity to learn about and become intrigued by all forms of art.  Being able to experience and immerse myself in centuries of color, texture, fine craftsmanship and history became an integral part of my life, instilling within me a love and appreciation of beauty and fine art.

In college, I studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston and later transferred to the University of Texas at Austin where I earned my BA.  Fascinated by designs and textiles of the past, I immersed myself in color and texture seeking out vintage dresses and accessories to enhance my performances of classical jazz music. These life experiences have laid the foundation for my art work today and are reflected in the layers and depth of my designs.

After graduate school and a lengthy illness, I started attending art openings and tried my hand in an oil painting class. I was enthralled with mixing colors. It was during that class that I decided I wanted to be an artist, but I wasn’t sure yet what my medium would be. While remodeling my home, it soon revealed itself after experiencing an artistic epiphany at a luxury fabric store. My appreciation for art and design details collided with my artistic materials – luxurious textiles and French trim.  I quickly realized I’d better learn how to sew!

In 2004, I answered an Open Call for Designers to present my work to a panel of judges. With that feedback I opened my studio, Deborah Main Designs, and started specializing in custom and commissioned luxury artisan pillows.

Known affectionately as The Pillow Goddess, my work has been nationally recognized as a Martha Stewart American Made Award Finalist and locally as a three-time winner of Best Home Accessories Designer for Austin Fashion Week. Most recently, my work has been featured in several high profile projects in NYC, High Point and Dallas, and won Honorable Mention in Fiber at the 2017 IMAGINE Art Exhibition. I love to travel for inspiration and live in Austin with my husband and daughter.