Deb McCann

Born in Melbourne, Victoria, Deb’s artistic abilities developed as a young girl when, encouraged by her Mum, she loved to sketch horses and pictures from fairytale books. In later years when time permitted, Deb began to experiment with ‘house’ acrylic paint working on large canvases ‘making marks’ to see what transpired.
Over the years, Deb has worked in a range of styles and mediums; palette knife with acrylic paint mixed with thickening mediums to create beautiful textures as well as oil pastel crayons and inks. One piece she produced as a commission was of Ned Kelly & it proudly, albeit ironically, hangs in the reception area of Melbourne company called Legal Transcripts.
Deb leans towards abstract style art and loves it when the viewer ‘sees something’ that is not immediately apparent. She believes that art connects with you for a reason and if you see that part of the work that makes the connection then that is exactly what it is meant to be.
She loves working with bold colours – however her absolute favourites are the blue and turquoise colours of our beautiful Moreton Bay and Stradbroke and Moreton Islands where she has spent numerous years, since moving with her family to Queensland in 1974, on holiday with family and friends.
Since retiring from 40 year in real estate Deb has been able to pursue her artistic passion. In 2017 she and her late husband, Patrick, moved to Stradbroke Island as they had long planned for in retirement.
Whilst living on the island Deb took a stall in the Point Lookout Markets to sell her artwork. Whilst there she met her now good friend Jacquie and together they opened a small gallery in the tin shed at the back of the Point Lookout Bowls Club to be able to support as many of the local artists as possible. Her husband Patrick thought of the name StraddieVarous.
Since moving back to the mainland Deb was determined to continue the support of local Redlands artists and hence Straddievarious Gallery is now firmly ensconced within the Raby Bay Harbour precinct, where Deb is the owner/curator and exhibits her own works, with the help of Jacquie as her Gallery Manager.
So, Deb’s passion is not simply to create but to encourage and support other artists on their own creative journey.