DEB GARTLAND AAPS is a self-taught traditional and contemporary fine art photographer, who goes around with a head full of high falutin’ ideas!
Deb‘s artistic journey started early in life with a passion for writing that continues to this day – however her main love in this area has been honed to children‘s writing and haiku.
The instant gratification of digital photography saw her artistic bent take off in a different direction. Deb found her medium. Or so she thought. Never quite able to fully capture the grandiose images in her head, she taught herself a number of different post processing software programs before settling in to Photoshop. Deb is not a purist, and from very early on has been pushing herself to break the rules, challenge boundaries and create vastly different images with her photography.
Deb‘s photography is highly eclectic and ranges from macro, portraiture and landscapes to still life, abstract and experimental. Her work has been highly successful at national and international Salons and Exhibitions, and she has been awarded her Licentiate (LAPS) and Associate (AAPS) by the Australian Photographic Society. Awards that recognise photographic skill.
Since purchasing the Gellibrand River Gallery and moving to Gellibrand River in 2014, Deb has had capacity to to concentrate on moving her image creation and photography to a more professional and contemporary level. She has supported local artists through the Gallery providing them with an additional sales venue and exhibition space.
A few years ago Deb attended an Encaustic workshop and has never looked back. While the absolute love of photography and the creation of illustrative composite images is still there (and still practiced), she has truly found her medium. Deb regularly submits works (photographic, (photo) encaustic and mixed media) to local exhibitions and has had quite some success with these in terms of acceptances and sales. She collaborates often with other artists in different disciplines, runs photography and (photo) encaustic workshops and is currently Secretary of Creative Otways Inc. – a Not for Profit organisation designed to assist artists and groups (as an auspice) to obtain funding and support.
The beginning of 2019 saw Deb set up her Encaustic workshop in the Gallery, where she works and often collaborates with other artists, where she has the space to leave works in-situ, to quickly print off additional images as and when required and the freedom to do what she loves – create works that are left-of-field, confront viewers and challenge traditional boundaries.
Main image courtesy Jen Fawkes Photography. Headshot image courtesy Alan Neander.
