About

BIO

GENERAL INFORMATION

BA Double Major in History of Art and Visual Arts

Licensed (previously) with Art In Motion - art and photography - published worldwide print market from Museum stores to Urban Barn

Published art on book covers in Europe

Product and Food styling and photography published in the national print market
Illustration and photography co-creator for The Artful Pie Project, a Canada Silver Award recipe book, published by Whitecap Books

Illustrator with published work in magazines, as well as full book content
Acrylic painter with work sold and shipped around the world

INSPIRATION

When I was at university, I fell in love with History in Art and specialized in Renaissance Paintings and Middle Eastern Garden Design. I am still in love with it all, particularly the symbolism. I also love vintage botanicals, old and worn objects, antique labels, books, quirky jars, and funny little boxes.

I live on the West Coast of Canada. My place is high up on a hill where it’s wooded and quiet, overlooking houses, ocean, islands, and mountains. My other view is of the very top branches of trees as if I was looking out of a birdhouse. It is both a sanctuary and my creative hub.

PAINTING

I champion slow living. My paintings are calm, old world, and are about places you go to find peace. My entire remit with painting is to create a sense of calm, of slow, of quiet. It is what I appreciate in my world. I also appreciate humour, whimsy and quirkiness so that shows up too, more often in my illustrations

I focus on landscapes now though previously did figurative work.

ILLUSTRATION

I love illustrating. I love project work. Coming up with whimsical, quirky visuals, or being given a list, or asked to brainstorm an image… it is a joy to do what I love. Elements of my paintings are sometimes incorporated and coupled with digital illustration to create a brand new story. I like the mix of textures that can only be found with hand painted work, with the freedom to experiment that is a part of the appeal of working digitally.

My favourite illustrator is Sowa, and many, many contemporary artists. So much talent everywhere.

For me, illustration is the freedom to express myself, and a challenge to carry a message, depict, decorate, delight, and inspire.

Thicket Wood Studio is a new spot. I decided it was time to separate my painting from my illustration and I am slowly transitioning to TWS for all things illustration. It is currently available to follow on Instagram. It will eventually be a page on this website, and added to the Shop.


PHOTOGRAPHY

I have worked as a product and a food photographer. My product photos have been published in national magazines like Canadian House and Home. My food photography has been published for articles, and most notably, I co-created a wonderful recipe book with Chef Denise Marchessault. The Artful Pie Project (Whitecap Books) is filled with not only my food shots, I had the joy of styling Denise’s creations into delicious, artful compositions.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook: Deb Garlick Art

Instagram: @debgarlickart - painting and illustration

NEW Instagram: @thicketwoodstudio - illustration only (link through @debgarlickart)