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My Journey Timeline

I have been a practicing botanical artist, fabric designer and professional printmaker for 30 years, based in nipaluna/ Hobart, Tasmania. This is My Journey.

2025

  • ORCHIDACEOUS – Wild and Rare Tasmanian Flora exhibition | SOCIAL | 67 Salamanca Place, Hobart. 19 December 2025 to 4 January 2026.

  • Nominated by the WCEI to represent Australia at the 72nd FCEM World Congress Greece 2025, to be held in November 2025 in Athens. FCEM is the global network of women business leaders.

  • Recipient of the Women Chiefs of Enterprises International (WCEI) 2025 Shirley Randell AO Award which celebrates extraordinary social contribution and sustainability leadership. The award aims to recognise, acknowledge and celebrate a WCEI member who has made an exceptional difference to communities through volunteering, philanthropic endeavours and/or the pursuit of social justice (27 August)

  • Deborah WACE Hobart design studio  relocated to the beautiful town of Cygnet, in southern Tasmania (30 June). 

  • Held a one-day Print, Press & Draw mono-printing workshop with Hunter Island Press participants, which was promoted in the Hunter Island Press newsletter (10 May). 

  • Interviewed on the ‘Letter to Myself’ segment by local ABC 936 Radio presenter Ryk Goddard (12 March).

  • Featured in the Churchill Fellowship – 2025 information session video (Arts & Trades session). I was invited to speak about my experience as a past Fellow (6 February).

2024

  • Gave a long-form podcast interview on ConnectCurateCreate podcast titled ‘Deborah Wace on Botanical Art, Tasmania’s Flora & the Power of Creative Climate Action’, where I shared my story of connecting art and ecology through Tasmania’s unique flora (19 November).
  • Invited to give a 40-minute interactive presentation at the FCEM/WCEI 71st WORLD CONGRESS in Sydney. Under the theme ‘Connecting the Dots: Women leading globally’, the congress brings together women business owners & leaders from across more than 70 countries (23-25 October).
  • Provided a professional printmaking demonstration complete with a presentation and sales opportunity to 200 leaders at the Small Giants ‘Wisdom & Action Forum’, Abbotsford Convent, Victoria (21 August).
  • Presented an evening runway show at the Tasmanian Fashion Festival, showcasing a range of garments with designs featuring the flora of Tasmania (31 August – 1 September).
  • Profiled my botanical designs as part of a Channel 10 interview on ‘The Project’. The interview was about Cohousing Co-operatives in Tasmania titled: Australia’s House Crisis Fix (July).
  • Conducted a sold-out series of 22 day-long ‘Print, Press and Draw’ workshops to more than 60 participants from my Hobart print-making studio. The workshops guided participants in the various mono printing techniques using found items, botanical specimens & hand-cut stencils.

2023

  • Exhibition: Displayed luxury Deborah WACE garments, accessories, home wares and wallpaper in ARTBOX at Huonville. This showcase was open to the public throughout November.
  • Accepted an invitation to be the 2023 Art Ambassador for the Huon Valley Studio Art Trail, an exciting weekend providing open Artist studio visits and art sales throughout the Huon region (28 & 29 October).
  • Interviewed on local ABC 936 Radio by Joel Rineburger about the Huon Valley Studio Art Trail, joined by local artist Nicholas Iceton (26 October).
  • Feature article: in The Mercury Newspaper about the Huon Valley Studio Art Trail. I was featured as its Art Ambassador (23 October).
  • Opened the Hunter Island Press ‘Botanical’ exhibition (1 October). 
  • Created a short film with cinematographer Michael Gissing to tell the story of my bespoke botanical artwork being designed and installed on the underside of the Van Diemen’s Band harpsichord lid.
  • Interviewed about the Harpsichord and the design creation on ABC 936 Drive Show radio program by Presenter, Lucy Breaden.
  • Feature article: in The Mercury showcasing the Van Diemen’s Band harpsichord and my botanical design and talking about the launch with the Minister for the Arts Elise Archer.
  • The bespoke artwork I created for the underside of the lid of the Van Diemen’s Band’s harpsichord was officially unveiled at the Hobart Town Hall Ballroom (21 August).
  • Opened theDeborah WACE studio in Hobart up to the Beaker Street Crawl as part of the Beaker Street Festival. My theme: ‘Plant Advocacy through Fabric Design’ (5 August).
  • Interviewed on radio 3CR Earth Matters program for a podcast on kelp forests: Valuing the worlds disappearing kelp forests
  • Feature article: in The Mercury detailing my art’s practice and donation of nature-inspired extra-large European flax linen cushion covers to Landcare Tasmania’s Fundraising Art Auction.
  • Invited to participate in ‘Times Square Fashion Week’ New York being held 10-12 September, as part of an Australian Designers contingent.
  • Deborah WACE Marketing Brochure won the ‘Digital Design: brochure’ category in the prestigious 9th Annual Diemen Awards for design undertaken by Angela Pelizzari. The brochure production team included:

– Herbarium sheets, plant specimens, original printmaking: Deborah Wace.

– Branding, Concept & Stylist: Angela Pelizzari/ angelapelizzari.com

– Modelled Content Photographer: Amy Brown/ amybrown.com.au

– Copywriter & Content Architecture: Desirée Sheehan.

  • Article in seaweednews.com about myself and other artists exhibiting in ‘On the Edge: Species at Risk’ exhibition held at the Lion Gate Lodge Garden, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney (March).
  • Interviewed on ABC Radio National’s ‘The Science Show’ about the pieces I exhibited in the ‘On the Edge: Species at Risk’ exhibition (March).
  • Exhibition: Showcased my Giant Kelp Forest and Lomatia tasmanica range in the ‘On the Edge: Species at Risk’ exhibition held 18 March -2 April at the Lion Gate Lodge Garden, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney (March).
  • During a 6-day Impact Safari through the takayna/Tarkine, I showcased my work as a botanical artist bringing wild Tasmania into luxury designer products to 25 people during a unique and intimate leadership journey for those looking for transformational experiences in some of the world’s most hidden and powerful places. It was run by Small Giants Academy in partnership with the Bob Brown Foundation and Patagonia (March).
  • Produced the slow motion ‘Threated Species Dance’ video. Dancers wrapped in swathes of silk featuring Lomatia tasmanica, seaweed and kelp designs from rare and endangered Tasmanian flora move to music created by Linsey Pollak & Lizzie O’Keefe (March).
  • Exhibition: Displayed work featuring seaweed designs in ‘Beneath the Surface: Seaweed-inspired art’ exhibition held 19-24 February at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies – IMAS, Hobart.
  • Designed licensed artwork to adorn ‘Sister Hives Australia’ global beekeeping record participation certificates. The call for ‘Most Photos of Women+ Beekeeping Uploaded in 24 Hours’ brought together participants from 25 countries (February).
  • Feature article: seaweednews.com featured an article about my seaweed design bodysuits being worn during the International Seaweed Symposium 2023.
  • My seaweed lycra body suits were modelled by three New Zealand marine scientists presenting at the ‘International Seaweed Symposium 2023’, Hobart. The suits, designed by Celyna Ziolkowski to resemble Leafy Sea Dragons, were created for ‘The Sartorial Naturalist’ (February).
  • Delivered a modelled presentation of my fabric designs and new garments, and showed film content of my arts practice, at an exclusive dinner for an established Tasmanian Ladies Club, Hobart (February).
  • Interviewed by Huon & Kingston FM local radio in ‘Local Vocal’ segment (February).
  • Commissioned to produce cushions featuring intricate wild and endangered Tasmania flora designs for On Board Tasmanian Expedition Cruises 24-meter catamaran ‘Odalisque III’, which travels Port Davey and Bathurst Harbour waterways in remote southern Tasmania (January).

2022

  • Feature article: ‘Red and Green Seaweed’ collection featured in Issue 88 of ‘Green Magazine’, Australia’s leading sustainable design publication (November).
  • Became a member of the prestigious WCEI-Women Chief of Enterprise International, Tasmanian branch.
  • Created a bespoke cover for the novel ‘Daughter of the Plateau’ written by Karen Harrland: Forty South Publishing.
  • Feature article: Arts practice featured in ‘Broadsheet x Tourism Tasmania’ magazine: 50,000 print runs across Sydney + Melbourne.
  • Delivered a presentation at the Australian Garden History Society ‘Landscape on the Edge: Challenge and Opportunity,’ conference held in Hobart (11-13 November).
  • Featured on ABC TV Gardening Australia’s ‘Down my Garden Path’. This included a 7.5 min segment on my arts practice and the genesis of my designs (screened 3 June).
  • Developing the under-lid design to be installed on new Harpsichord being built for the Van Diemen’s Band, Tasmania.
  • Photographic shoot in collaboration with Amy Brown-photographer and Angela Pelizzari-stylist, to capture the ‘Sartorial Naturalist’ range for the Deborah WACE international market portfolio.
  • Article about my work published in the Australian Garden History Journal, Vol.33, No.4 titled: ‘A Wild Garden in remote Tasmania: In the footsteps of Labillardière’.
  • Recipient of a Nina Crone Writing Fund Grant from Australian Garden History Society.
  • Engaged Desirée Sheehan to provide marketing and communications aimed at promoting my passion, my products and arts history to the world.
  • Engaged STSC (Sustainable Textile Supply Chain) to produce my highly sustainable fabrics, closing the loop on my environmental ethos for production.
  • The ‘Sartorial Naturalist’ screened at FlickerFest in Cygnet, Tasmania (March).
  • Grant recipient: Export Market Development Grant – Forging pathways to international markets.
  • Exhibition: Solo art show at the Wild Island Gallery, Hobart.

2021

  • Exhibition: Premiere of the ‘Sartorial Naturalist’ at my exhibition of all elements, fabrics and wallpapers across 9th Floor of 65 Murray St, Hobart (18-22 June). Opened by: The French Consul to Tasmania.
  • Provided a long-form storytelling audio piece titled ‘Going Deep with Deborah Wace’ on SoundCloud – The Wayfinder Mobile Story Studio (18 June).
  • Filmed the ‘Sartorial Naturalist’ – a multiform art collaboration of nationally and internationally recognised design, cinematic, postproduction, musical composition and dance professionals to capture the beauty and fragility of some of Tasmania’s endangered flora.
  • Engaged Jess Adams from Adamsography as article researcher and media assistant.
  • Awarded grants by:

– Australia Council for the Arts Project Grant for ‘The Sartorial Naturalist’ project.

– Arts Tasmania/ Screen Tasmania Grant for ‘The Sartorial Naturalist’ project.

– New Work for New Markets for ‘New Tasmanian botanical fabric designs for international licensing and marketing’ project.

  • Feature article: about my work in The Monthly Magazine titled: ‘ The Orchid Eye’, written by Keely Jobe.
  • Filmed and interviewed for inclusion in Gardening Australia TV show: ‘Down my Garden Path’ segment.

2020

  • My Tasmanian botanical silk scarves were presented to key speakers and highly respected journalists and ABC TV stars Virginia Trioli and Caroline Jones, at the ‘Women in Media’ launch at MONA.
  • Feature article: in Forty South Magazine titled: ‘The Artist & the Ancient’, written by Rayne Allinson.

2019

  • ABC 936 radio interview with Helen Shield (August).
  • Peter Cundall – Churchill Fellow, launched my new Botanical Arts and Fabric studio located on Level 9, 65 Murray Street, Hobart. Mr Cundall presented the program, ‘Gardening Australia’, on ABC TV for more than 30 years. He broadcast a gardening program on Saturday morning radio in Tasmania and wrote numerous articles, columns and books about gardening.
  • Moved into my new Botanical Arts and Fabric studio located at Level 9, 65 Murray Street, Hobart.
  • Feature article: in ‘Fagus’ the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens magazine.

2018

  • The ‘Fabric of Botany’ premiered at the State Cinema, Hobart. This 28-minute film produced by Tasmanian filmmaker, Joe Shemesh, captures my Arts Residency on the Northeast Peninsula of Recherche Bay, Tasmania and my 2017-18 Churchill Fellowship where I travelled to Europe to study the early French historical botanical collections from Tasmania, held in herbariums in the UK, France and Italy.
  • ABC Radio National interview with Catherine Zengerer (November).
  • Presented at the ‘Bon Voyage? 250 Years Exploring the Natural World’ summer meeting of the Society for the History of Natural History, and AGM in association with the British Ornithologists’ Club, at World Museum Liverpool. My paper outlined Recherche Bay’s links to the Labillardiere botanical collections from the d’Entrecasteaux expedition of 1792-1793, my reflection of Labillardiere’s collections in my designs, and how art, music and the community helped to protect this cultural-historical landscape (14-15 June).
  • Travelled to Florence, Paris and London herbariums to view the Type Specimen collections as part of my Churchill Fellowship.
  • Conducted a five-day Arts Residency on the Northeast Peninsula of Recherche Bay, far South Tasmania.
  • ‘Morphology of Desire’, solo art show, Wild Island Gallery.
  • Feature article: Tasmania +, The Tasmanian Magazine Issue #4 titled: ‘Weaving Threads of Art & Science’.

2017

  • Awarded a Churchill Fellowship to study the early French botanical historical collections from Tasmania, held in herbaria in Europe.
  • Group show, Wild Island Gallery.
  • Exhibition: Elemental Art Space Gallery, Deloraine.
  • Exhibition: Cradle Mountain Wilderness Gallery.
  • Exhibition: retail stall at Blooming Tasmania, Launceston.
  • Winner of ‘Best New Stall’ – Deloraine Craft Fair, Tasmania.

2016

  • Solo exhibition: Westwinds Community Centre, Woodbridge, Tasmania.
  • Solo exhibition: Wild Island Gallery, Hobart.
  • Solo exhibition: ‘Tarkine in Motion Exhibition’, Long Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart.
  • Curation and performance at – Tarkine Commotion, Peacock Theatre Salamanca.

2015

  • ‘Art of the Wild Tasmanian Orchid’ – a short film about me and my arts practice by Leonie Fahey. This film explores how I incorporate endangered Tasmanian flora into my designs.
  • Exhibition: Kingston LINK.
  • Exhibition: Joint orchid works show, Kingston Beach Arts Hub.

2014

  • Exhibition: ‘Osmosis’, Long Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart.
  • Exhibition: Hobart City Mission Exhibit, Long Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart.
  • Exhibition: Magnolia 73, Hobart.

2012

  • Design Showcase, Sustainable Living Festival, PW1, Hobart.
  • The Art of Christmas – Menzies Research Institute Exhibition.
  • Parnella Gallery, St Helens, Orchid Etchings and botanical wall friezes.
  • ‘Artists Behind the Action’, Church Studio Gallery, Franklin.

2011

  • Official opening of new studio, Hobart. Opened by: Brian Ritchie, founder of MONA FOMA and Bassist with the band the Violent Femmes.
  • Exhibition: ‘Register’ print exhibition – S.P.A.C.E. Scotch Oakburn College, Tasmania.
  • Exhibition: Burnie Print Prize exhibition, BRAG, Burnie, Tasmania. This prize presents works from established, emerging and cross-disciplinary artists.

2010

  • Presentation of etching works, Junction National Regional Arts Conference, Launceston, Tasmania.
  • Re-located to Hobart from Lune River, Tasmania.

2009

  • Exhibition: ‘Understorey Network Touring Exhibition’, around Tasmania.
  • Exhibition: ‘Beyond Buttongrass’, Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens. Opened by: Senator Bob Brown.

 

2007

  • Exhibition: ‘Buttongrass – far from plain’, Eucalypt Cafe, Port Arthur. Opened by: Melva Truchanas who championed Tasmanian environmental causes.
  • Exhibition: ‘Tasmanian Wildflower Spectacular’, City Hall, Hobart.

 

2005

  • Ogilvie High school – Playful Pavers Project. Co-ordination/ teaching for 80m of cast mosaic pavers.
  • Celebrated the culmination of several years’ community direct action and work to protect the Northeast Peninsula of Recherche Bay.

 

2001

  • Meander Primary School Tasmania – Mosaic fronts piece.
  • Hastings Caves Visitors Centre Tasmania – created backlit agate & fern fossil mosaic.

 

2000

  • Salamanca Arts Centre – Mosaic Courtyard Development.

 

1999

  • Clarence City Council – Lauderdale Canal Skateboard Park Project – Mosaics.

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