Being Brave with Your Artistic Journey

I strive to create an outcome that I have envisaged, but sometimes the art takes me into a different sphere, and the outcome is better.

I love experimenting with different media. This month, I have a large portrait entered in a local arts festival, and for the first time in my life, I have used fabric as part of the painted outfit.

It came out even better than I had hoped and created the “wow” factor. This encourages me to try more ways to be inventive.

Artistic Genes and Choices

I started doing my first drawings as a young child. When I was 10, I did a pencil sketch of my best friend in primary school, Amanda.

I started doing some more serious sketches five years later. There is an artist gene, somewhere in my family, that I have inherited.

My first serious portraits and landscapes (along with sketches) were done 40 years ago. Until last year, I hadn’t painted seriously for 15 years due to different circumstances in my life, but I am back!

Sources of Artistic Inspiration

Inspiration comes from many sources: a beautiful landscape I have photographed, flowers, and a love for portraying people that I know.

I use photos for reference, and quite often, the finished work has a different feel to the photograph, as I try to inject personality that doesn’t appear in a flat, 2D image.

If I feel something isn’t working, I go back and start over. My husband also makes some great critical suggestions for the W.I.P. as I’m going.

Balancing the Art Practice

I wear several hats: as an artist, I love to paint and draw.

But I am also an author, puppet maker, soft toy repairer, maker of things to order and a volunteer.

I find that all of these things help to balance out my art practice, and I try to create time slots or small chunks where I can devote myself to whatever I am working on, especially when I have to fulfil orders.

Sharing Lessons from the Artistic Journey

Never give up.

No matter how uninspired you may be feeling, how frustrated with something not working, with serious emotions wanting to hijack your creativity and commitment, don’t quit.

Keep working on it, and something fresh will present itself.

As with writing, there is a piece of advice that often surfaces: if you’re feeling stuck, or stale, and not progressing, give the project a rest break.

Put it aside for a time, then come back to it with a fresh eye.

About the Artist and Author

Debra Williams has embraced creativity as a lifelong passion, with painting forming a central thread throughout her journey. She spent the first four decades of her life in Sydney, the Southern Highlands, and the South Coast of New South Wales before moving to Cootamundra in 2002 with her late husband.

There, she lived and worked until 2020, when she and her current husband relocated to Tasmania at the height of the pandemic. Now settled in the far North-West, Debra thrives in the inspirational surroundings of the island’s landscapes and vibrant community.

An artist, writer, puppet creator, and sewing enthusiast, Debra’s creative practice spans multiple forms.

Alongside painting, she produces digital artwork, including posters and designs for social media and her websites.

Her art reflects both innovation and experimentation, with a love of exploring fresh mediums and inventive approaches.

Debra is also an accomplished author. She has independently published three Middle-Grade novels, with a fourth adventure currently in progress.

Her writing extends to short stories for both children and adults, several of which have appeared in anthologies and online.

In 2022, she released her first chapter book, Ah-Fur, Super Sleuth: The Case of the Missing Moggies, which introduced readers to her distinctive storytelling voice. Recognition followed in 2024, when she was both longlisted and shortlisted in the Just Write For Kids Pitch It! competition.

Beyond writing and painting, Debra’s secondary passion lies in creating custom-made puppets, particularly for fellow authors who wish to bring their characters to life.

Discover more about the talented Debra Clewer online at the Clewer Book Nook and follow her on Facebook and Instagram too!