Deborah grew up in the Middle East and West Africa. Both environments gave her a deep appreciation and curiosity of the natural world and its creatures on land and by the sea.
Due to living in remote areas in developing countries, she was educated in England during her formative years at Queenswood School in Hatfield , Hertforshire. Here, her creative and drafting skills were encouraged.

In 1773, Deborah arrived in Canada and attended the University of Guelph for Fine Art. After graduation, she moved to Ottawa, married and brought up two daughters. During this period Deborah’s artistic exploration was put on hold.
In 1993, following a career in Banking, Deborah created Artskids, a visual and performing art programme. In 1994 Artskids was endorsed by the Canadian Museum of Nature. Deborah operated her holiday programmes at this location, and created a legacy for the Museum that runs to this day, “Art in Nature and Nature in Art”.

In 2007 Deborah and her husband moved overseas to explore a more diverse lifestyle. In Vietnam, she discovered the ancient art of Lacquer painting, and worked with a local renowned artist, Madame My.
This unique art form uses precious metals (.925 silver and gold leaf), sea shells, duck egg shells, and lacquer based raw pigments.
In 2012 Deborah and her husband moved to the Bahamas. The vivid aqua and turquoise seas became a new source of inspiration. She continued her exploration of lacquer art and exhibited at the National Gallery of the Bahamas.

In late 2014, her husband was offered a posting in the South Pacific in Fiji. Deborah met and worked with a local pastel artist, Pravin Sen. Although allergic to the powdery dust of pastels, Deborah pursued this medium with an avid interest and learnt to handle the materials to achieve a newfound realism. Her subjects became a reflection of her environment and travels.

In 2017, Deborah and her husband returned to Canada, and took up residence in London, Ontario. She has continued to expand her exploration into different media. Deborah currently explores her world, travel and impressions with works in watercolour, acrylic, pastels and on occasion lacquer.