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Debi Fitzgerald has been
a professional artist for 33 years. Her love of nature,
animals and humanity is apparent in her works of art.
Without formal training Debi has evolved as an artist
through the great depths she feels for the world around her.
Debi is not limited to any one medium as her self-taught
abilities allowed her the freedom to experiment. As a result
she is comfortable in oils, acrylics and pastels. On the
road to self discovery Debi recognized the difference
between a" nice" painting and a "great" painting.
"Art, she says, comes from the heart and must be actualized
with both honesty and integrity. It is from the depths of
one's soul that the artist must create! "
Her love of nature earned her a reputation as The Rose Lady
in the 70s. She mastered pastels with her roses drenched
with water drops and went on to study other life in nature.
Debi Fitzgerald
In the 80s she then became known by her collectors as The
Wolf Lady. Her beautiful, dramatic images of wolves became
widely collected. She went on to create her renderings of
wildlife which won her many awards. She gained notoriety
worldwide.
In 1988 Debi became a mother to her greatest creation, her
son, who expanded her love and dedication , not only to him,
but to her canvas.
In the 90s Fitzgerald won the title as National Artist for
Ducks Unlimited ,Canada in both 1991 and 1996! She also won
the Silver Teal award and the Bronze award for her
outstanding contribution to waterfowl conservation. Her
expression took a turn during the late 90s , after
experiencing some traumatic losses, including a sudden
divorce from her husband, who at the time was managing her
artistic career. She began to explore the possibilities of
creating art as a tool to help people feel on a deeper
level. She began to create a compilation of art and writing
entitled" Dancing Light", subtitled "It's All About Love"
while in Australia. This project was abandoned because of
personal losses and those 4' x 6'canvases were left behind.
As a result Debi spent many years in the conceptualizing
stage of developing her art as a tool to help her move
through her own grieving process .
In 2000 she was ready to share her healing journey with her
public and by May 31, 2002 her new compilation was born
(unveiled ) at Gallery On The Lake in Buckhorn, Ontario.
Twelve 4' x6' canvases , depicting the grieving stages,
along with written inspirations and music to orchestrate the
highs and lows, were exhibited to help others move through
their own grief.
A book and CD were published to help others heal themselves.
The exhibit was moved from the public part of the gallery as
people were reacting emotionally. It moved the public so
deeply , that the exhibit was held over, moved upstairs and
used by many as a way to heal some very deep emotional
wounds.
Today there are many Palliative Care groups, Grief
Councilors and others who use this book to help remove
emotional blocks. The paintings, a collection of twelve will
be able to help such groups , once they are free to travel.
In July 19th of 2003 Debi Fitzgerald was inducted into the
Pathway of Fame in Peterborough, Ontario acknowledging the
valued contribution to the heritage of the community Debi
became involved with trying to help protect our water as the
result of a vision that appeared to her (On the home page)
from 2001.The Loon Guardian was created and to this day the
story is still unfolding.
Debi's direction , both as an artist and an environmentalist
is now leading her to broader horizons. She and others,
along with The Ontario Stewardship , are the organizers of
The Lakeland Conference whose prime intention is to help
educate the public about how to take care of our waters and
shorelines.
Debi's new work in progress is a book entitled" Our Waters-
Our Gift". It will have a compilation of over 60 images
depicting our lakes, rivers and streams . Her intent is to
portray the beauty of our waters and how they are connected.
Fitzgerald
says "I want to touch the hearts of those who appreciate it,
in hopes that mankind will do something to take care of one
of our most precious resources-our water. Many solutions and
products will be made available through this coffee table
book.
Throughout this year Fitzgerald's direction is strong. Her
beliefs are solid. She believes , more than ever, that
God-given talents are to be shared with others to inspire
them and to help them find their own gifts.
"A rare and precious asset of the international art
community, Debi Fitzgerald is blessed with the gift of
combining world-class artistic creativity and technical
talent along with an amazing insight to the human spirit."
the late Rick Amsbury |
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