Born and raised in Narrabri, NSW, Deb Michell-Smith is an emerging Australian artist celebrated for her vibrant acrylic paintings that capture the beauty and stories of regional landscapes and communities. She holds a Bachelor of Visual Arts from the University of Southern Queensland and lives on a farm in North West NSW, where her creative journey is deeply embedded.
In 2024, Deb achieved significant recognition, becoming a finalist in prestigious competitions such as the National Emerging Art Prize, the Interior Art Prize NSW, the Stanthorpe Art Prize QLD, the Fleurieu Biennale SA, the John Villiers Outback Art Prize QLD, and The Doyles Art Award QLD. She also won the Frost Over Barraba Art Show NSW and the ABC Western Plains Prize in Dunedoo, NSW, while earning the runner-up title in Aspire Gallery Brisbane’s “Unveiled” emerging art competition.
Deb was selected to participate in an 18-month “Work of Art” project through Regional Arts NSW, which celebrates women in regional arts. This initiative culminated in a showcase and forum in Orange, NSW, in November 2024, where Deb’s work featured in the “Work of Art” group exhibition.
Deb has a mini solo exhibition at Michael Reid Southern Highlands from 5th June - 6th July 2025. Her paintings are represented in the stockrooms of Little Magpie Gallery Cowra, Aspire Gallery Brisbane and Satch & Co. Gallery Holbrook.
Deb’s home studio is a small but vibrant creative hub where she explores the synergy of memory, emotion, and the natural world, transforming everyday landscapes into unique works of art by incorporating distinctive colours, repetition and patterns that present a picture full to the brim with sentiment and authenticity.