Debbie Barber

Debbie is an installation artist who holds a BFA in Sculpture from Ilam School of Fine Arts, University of Canterbury. After 15 years teaching art, Debbie began establishing her own art practice in 2019. Debbie is also known by her maiden name; Lawrence.

Debbie’s creative process centres around the materiality of clay. Embedded in the discipline of domesticware, the clay’s spoil create her ceramic vocabulary. These chance forms are glazed, left raw or smoked to create a conversation used in assemblages and invitations to participate and play. 

Influenced by her mum’s journey with dementia and grounded in a reflective practice considering time, memory and relationships, Debbie’s textural sculptures explore connections between philosophical writings and clay.