My name is Deborah Phillips. I am a Norfolk based creative, a designer, an artist, and I am happy to show you around my vibrant and eclectic world of art and design.

My journey began in Norfolk in the 1980s, where I studied fashion design and manufacturing. I later became a tutor at The Norfolk Institute of Art and Design before launching a successful bridal business in 2000.

Designing gowns that captured each bride’s individuality was a dream realised, but life called me in another direction. As a single parent, I made the decision to close my business in 2006 to focus on raising my two young children.

Years later, in 2017, I returned to the art world as a college art technician, eventually teaching night classes in textiles and sewing. These roles helped me rediscover the creative spark I had long set aside. Being back in a creative environment nourished my soul and reignited my passion.

Just as that fire began to burn brightly again, the pandemic hit. Like many, I struggled with the mental toll, but amidst the chaos, I found solace and healing through art.

Although I never formally trained as a fine artist, I committed to nurturing my own creative voice and finally taught myself to paint. For over a decade, a blank canvas loomed above my bed - a silent dare, affectionately nicknamed Polar Bear in the Snow by my family - It became a symbol of hesitation, fear of failure, and longing.

One day, I took the leap. I ordered paints, picked up a brush, and began. That first painting - a swirling sea of blues, aquas, purples and joy - now hangs proudly above my bed. It reminds me daily that creativity begins with courage.