Debra Higgins is a multidisciplinary artist who lives, works, and studies in Narm, Melbourne. Her current creative obsession links to her explorations of the Whipstick Forest near Bendigo, on the traditional lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung peoples. A long-term Buddhist and environmentalist, Debra’s creative practice is strongly influenced by Buddhist philosophy pertaining to impermanence and the interconnectedness of all things, and her deep love for the natural world. Both artist and amateur anthropologist, Debra’s work is informed by time spent walking the forest, alongside ongoing research into the Whipstick’s geologic, ecologic, and chequered gold mining past. Debra works across a range of modalities: painting, photography, printmaking, performance, and installation. A recent development within her practice is the collection of detritus from the forest as both an act of care and restitution. She takes the old, devalued and discarded turning them into new unexpected forms, creating assemblages of transformation for this somewhat reluctant sculptor. Debra Higgins holds a dual degree in Special and Primary Education from the Queensland University of Technology. She has enjoyed a long career in Education as both Teacher and Principal, and is a passionate advocate for Art and Environmental Education. In 2020, Debra made the decision to apply to RMIT to follow her lifelong dream of studying and creating art full time. A past finalist in the Melbourne Spoken Word Prize, Debra is also passionate about the poetic, having been a regular performer at Speed Poets in Brisbane, and past member of the Organising Committee for the annual four-day Queensland Poetry Festival.