Deborah Ann Morris

Creative Journey: 1967-Present

Creative ideas and life goals seemed to be formed in early childhood by observing images while turning the pages of picture books and magazines and playing with twigs, leaves and sculpting with sand or snow; whatever nature offered while playing outdoors. Watching television was not a pastime in my family home. However, listening to music was a constant.

At seven years young, my classroom teacher set up a desk and two chairs in the public school hallway and assigned me to help classmates learn to read. By grade three, I volunteered as library helper. I was curious. I read extensively.

Community care and service became embedded in my psyche. Beginning at age 12, I chose to volunteer in a hospital and childcare centre close to home. Photography was my hobby. I created and sold crafts to pay for developing my photographs.

During young adulthood I gained skills and earned money working on a dairy farm, in retail, home care of children and horses, banking and the floral industry. I continued volunteering with local elderly populations, offering creative activities such as paper collage and flower arranging. I graduated from college, learning behind-the-scene work in the fashion industry. I experienced modelling clothing on the runway and behind the camera as well as working behind the stage with International Top Models. At the age of 20 I created and taught special interest night classes in makeup artistry.

I realized I had become an artist when I took my original acrylic paintings and pencil drawings to an interview from which I was granted $10,000 to enrol in Computer Animation Classes. I was one of few students to graduate.

Learning has always been my go-to. I earned an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Cultural Studies and Anthropology as well as Bachelor of Education Fine Arts degree. Everything I’d read, studied and imagined became real once I started to travel to places in person. World travel informs my intuitive and artistic renderings as well as my culinary creations.

During travels to Uganda, I captured experiences and images to share with a Canon 35mm digital camera. My photographs illuminated colours and the textural daily life of the people I met and spent time with. In Africa, I witnessed grit, survival, innovation, charity and the impact on whole communities from sharing gospel truth.

In contrast, later travels throughout central Japan revived an innate passion for aesthetic and simplified, symbolic expression in my creative works.

Travel fuels my creativity. A walk in the confines of my own backyard instantly invites a myriad of words for sharing emotions, ideas, memories and wonder . . .

Being outdoors — appreciating nature through sound, scent, movement and natural beauty — is a perfect escape . . .

June 2015, I peacefully left many years full-time career as Public School Teacher and travelled to France to paint.

Next, I completed year one Expressive Art as Therapy classes at CREATE in Toronto, Ontario Canada.

Then, the next few years were spent researching and exploring Art as Therapy, attending museums, galleries and participating in various artist-led painting and creative arts workshops.

Best, was making time to work in my home art studio and discovering ways to exhibit and successfully sell my art work.

2019 was the year my expressive arts ‘wonderings’ came to a close. Fleming College offered Expressive Art Facilitator Certification at Haliburton School of Art and Design. I enrolled, attended and completed the HSAD Ontario College Graduate Certificate.

Investing most of my life in education, teaching and experiencing various cultural life components has been nothing short of enlightening. More than five decades living and work experience impacts my creative life. Each morning, I begin again.

2024, I am blessed, mother, grandmother and wife to a genuine, gentle, very patient and well humoured man to journey through life with. Enduring life’s ups and downs thus far, has resulted in a clear understanding of how important it is to prioritize personal wellbeing; a delicate, necessary balance of emotional, mental, spiritual and physical wellness. Years of working in community, creating, painting, collaging, sculpting with natural materials has undeniably reinforced my personal connection to the divine Creator. Creator is the God of order and peace. Years of trusted, professional guidance, especially in Expressive Arts Therapy, has helped me to ‘grow through what I go through.’ Health, relationship and work are essential building blocks to [re]discovery of self and life purpose. Balance is key.

Observation and intuitive cues prompt my soul’s perspective; shining revelation light on life truth. Life experience and accepting personal truth provides freedom from [no longer] placing value on blind institutional programming and calculated doctrine. Continuing to create forward, I believe that practising patience and compassion allows for one to accept his/her/ their personal truth and sustains whole person health. Appreciation and connection heals us.

My life purpose is to offer creative ways for others to share in the process of acknowledging personal blessing and life beauty balanced with healing inevitable life pain (dis ease) and to celebrate life— in gratitude, for the gift of breath.

My artwork is created with genuine appreciation for the gifts I have been given, for the purpose of sharing. My creative art practice keeps me connected to my life purpose.

~ Be Inspired ~