You’re walking through a laneway, and your view is suddenly intercepted by a powerful, looming image of the Indian god Ganesh … you’re having a drink at a bar, and peeking at you from the wall is a beautiful, luscious girl … you’re at a show, and the sight of a dark hued, exotic pinup beauty enthrals and excites your way, and you sit there pondering, just knowing that you’ve seen something like it before …

… because you more than likely have, on walls and in galleries throughout the breadth of the country.

That’s the beauty of Debs work – not only does it have the power to convey a gorgeous sense of femininity, but her style is also one that you just don’t forget. Her dedication to her craft, and sheer plethora of work adorning those walls and galleries over the past ten years has made her one of the most celebrated, and loved, street artists practicing in Australia today.

Recently, Deb opened her latest solo show, Aquarius, to much praise at the 19Karen gallery on the Gold Coast. We here at Invurt were delighted when she took some time out to talk to us about her show, her girls, and some of the views that power her captivatingly graceful work …

Having done this for so many years, was there a point where you realised that you had become a fully fledged artist, and what has the road to this point been like?

I always wanted to become an artist, I knew that whilst I was growing up, I was always drawing or painting over everything.

After I finished school late 90’s I pursued my art career. Over the last few years I’ve managed to live off selling my art or doing design, or other artistic jobs. I guess I just pushed for it and somehow fell into it – but you always have to keep working hard.

The work that you do in a gallery obviously has a strong connection to your street art, however, has this experience in showing in galleries influenced your work on the streets? How do you approach a blank wall now compared to when you were just starting out?

I spend a out half and half with the gallery preparation and the
street stuff. I guess each influence each other style wise for sure but
I try keep it separate.. Especially the materials. I use aerosol on
the streets. I mainly use acrylic, oil or gouache on my fine art works
what ever has a long life as it will remain in some ones home for a
long time. My gallery work is also usually more time consuming. I may
spend weeks or months on fine art works and a few days or even a day on the mural work as aerosols cover quickly … that’s what is so cool about it. The main thing that’s changed over the years, for when I’m painting a wall or canvass, now is that I spend a lot more time planning my design before I start working on something. I get fussier as I get older.

Just on that, we read a recent interview at Fatcap, and you mentioned that your can technique for painting is a bit different to others, and that you try to paint as close to how you illustrate as possible – can you elaborate on your techniques a little and how you believe they may vary?

Yea, I think I’ve kind of made up my own technique that is very
close to the way I illustrate. When I paint characters, I
kind of hold my cans funny when I do my outlines – it’s hard to
explain. All I know is that what ever I’m doing, I somehow put a lot of
pressure on my hand and wrist. I do it with painting and drawing as
well, I’m heavy handed, and I hold my pencil and paintbrush funny as
well, I use to get in trouble for it at school – somehow I never corrected it.

Many of the women in your work often have a ethnic or sub-continental, or even just international motifs to them – is this a conscious theme within your subject matter? You also include animals and other icons of a more fantastical nature – do you research this subject matter or is it subliminally incorporated?

I think the ethnic focus is my interest in other cultures. I like to show my interest in multiculturalism in my work. We are all different and I like to paint all my characters from all different backgrounds. As far as all the other references, the animals and fantasy elements, they are a combination again of my interests, dreams and emotions.

The animals are, simply, animals that I love, but a lot of my works over the last few year have a strong reference towards my anger felt towards the killing and commercialization of endangered species. It’s something that makes my blood boil and I get pretty upset about it. Hopefully others can notice these messages in my works.

Often these characters in your work are writhing with femininity, and many have reminiscent tones of the pin up and burlesque styles of the 40’s or 50’s, is this a period of art that you are passionate about or is it a subconscious element?

Yes totally. I’ve always been inspired by 40’s and 50’s pin up art.
I think it’s easy to tell by looking at my work. I have a love for
many things that are retro or just very very old. I love vintage
fashion especially between the 20’s and 70’s. All these things inspire
me. I am also very inspired by retro Colours and furniture, and old movies and cartoons also inspire a lot of my work.

Your women possess a great consistency and style, yet each work is unique in its contours, hue, and composition – what do you think it is about your art that makes it so vividly remembered by those who see it?

I think its mainly because I try to have a style unique to others.
I like to write short stories sometimes before I start painting. I
love to appreciate work by other inspiring artists but try not to be
influences and keep as true to my own creative thoughts and style as
possible… I think the key in standing out with your work is to
remain as true to you own thoughts and ideas as possible. My work is
pretty funny and quirky at times, so the other thing I live by is
don’t be scared to paint what you want to paint.

You don’t have to follow trends, or try too hard to be cool – just create what you want to.

Can you tell us a bit about your recent show at 19Karen? What kind of work have you done for it, is it themed or is it more of a showcase of the work that you have been doing recently?

I spent about half a year solid preparing for my show in the
gold coast at 19 Karen. The title is Aquarius which is my star sign,
but also suits the work as it’s pretty dreamy. I’d been working in
mainly black and white for a year and half before creating this set of
work do I was hanging to use as much colour as possible. There are
a lot of references to many of the things I mentioned earlier that I am
inspired by. The show opened on the 9th of July and runs for 4 weeks!

You’ve previously mentioned how much you enjoy passing on skills, mentoring and encouraging both young women and other artists to get involved – at some levels people may not think that a “graffiti” or “street” artist couldn’t possibly be a good role model at all – what would you say to something like that, and what are the things you try to impart to younger artists?

I think the best way I try to act as a mentor in general is just
being creative in general. I encourage all sorts of creative ideas and
skills when I am working with kids and teens, I guess painting with
aerosols (safely) is just one of them. I like to encourage or be of
inspiration to girls of course obviously, as I have been doing what I
do for years in the street art graffiti culture, being one of only a
small handful of girls in a make dominated culture.

You travel a fair bit – where haven’t you been to to paint yet, that you would love to go to?

I do commissions and exhibitions around the country and sometimes internationally … I have done a little bit of travel over the years but still so many places I haven’t been and hanging to go.. A few places I want to check out I’ve never seen are.. Spain, Berlin, Poland, South America, and North America.

What are your plans for the immediate future, post exhibition, and beyond? Where will you be painting next and where can your fans expect to see work from you popping up?

I plan to stay in the country for the rest of the year as I have
art commitments, projects and exhibits booked till around Xmas time.

After this year, I’d like to travel about the globe and put more of
my energy into international projects, so the next step for me is
heading overseas, to continue the journey …

Check out Debs website for more of her work, as well as the Aquarius event at 19Karen, which is still running for the next two weeks on the Gold Coast.