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.
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Exploring Mediums
For the last two years, I have primarily used acrylic paints. However, I also love soft pastels, but the work is harder to store without framing, which is expensive.
I love to shade and cross-hatch in my paintings. I have previously used pastel over top of acrylic paint on both paper and canvas, to give a beautiful blend of different effects.
When Artistic Explorations Flourish in Community and Place
I live in the most beautiful state in the country – Tasmania – and we are in the far North-West, the “Gateway to the Tarkine.”
The wonderful landscapes are breathtaking (but then, so is most of Tasmania!).
The local community is also a wonderful influence, with so much positive feedback.
Getting to paint a local identity for the last two years as part of our arts festival has been really inspirational, and as I network as a volunteer in two areas, I get to meet some wonderfully inspirational people.
Being Open to Creative Imagination
When something takes my eye, I will imagine how it will appear as a finished piece or project.
Sometimes I will do preliminary sketches to work out proportions, then use the sketch as a guideline.
If there is a detail that I want to be exact, I will trace over the sketch or image and then transfer it using carbon and tissue paper.
Finding Hope After Heartbreak
I hope that anyone viewing my art finds joy and appreciation of the subject material.
Earlier this year, I submitted two sunflower-themed paintings to a local anonymous art exhibition where the proceeds of any sales were to support our local mental health service.
The sunflower is a symbol of hope, and something I have used since losing my 40-year-old daughter to domestic violence in 2023.
Artistic Motivation and Inspiration
I try to find something fresh and innovative, thinking outside the square.
As I am also an author, ideas come from various places.
There are times when I will begin a project, and lag halfway through with a creative block. And, just when I need it, something will come along for inspiration: A news report, an idea from a fellow writer, which I translate into art, a beautiful image, etc.
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.
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The Power of Connecting
I have been part of the Circular Head Arts Festival (CHArts) for the past five years, running workshops for children and contributing artwork for the last two festivals.
It’s been great to connect with other local artists.
This year’s entry is a large portrait, 91 x 61 cm, and is of a local business owner who is also a friend.
The festival opened on the 31st of August and continues until the 4th of October.
I have created things for sale at our art and craft store, The Arty Duck, including some small artworks.
As a writer, I have been invited to be a part of a local author focus through Libraries Tasmania, which also connects me with artists as well as other writers.
Next Projects on the Artistic Journey
I would like my next art project to be a painting of a beautiful old Presbyterian church that is here in Stanley.
I took a photo of it last year, when the weather conditions were absolutely perfect.
It pops out at the viewer, as the old, whitewashed weatherboards stand beautifully against the brilliantly painted blue doors.
On the day I photographed it, the sky was clear and reflected the same brilliant blue.
Allow Yourself to Be Excited About Ideas
I’m always excited when new ideas and challenges come my way.
As a creative, when someone asks me to create something for them (such as a puppet character from one of their books), I grasp the opportunity with both hands.
I find it both challenging and exciting to turn a flat 2D illustration into a 3D creation or painting from one of my own extensive photograph collections.
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!
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