September 12, 2025 • 42 mins
In this heartfelt episode of The Thriving Christian Artist Podcast, I sit down with Tucson-based artist Debbie Gallerani, whose work spans whimsical sculpture, mixed media, and a rich background as a professional cartoonist. From her charming bed and breakfast, La Casa Del Artista, to art shows across the country, Debbie’s life is a colorful blend of creativity, hospitality, and ministry.
Debbie opens up about her early dreams of becoming a syndicated cartoonist, the setbacks and detours she faced along the way, and how God’s faithfulness has carried her through seasons of challenge and change. We talk about the power of perseverance, the joy of creating art that brings delight, and the importance of sharing your faith through your creative life.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- How Debbie’s early passion for cartooning shaped her unique style
- Finding joy in whimsical, hope-filled artwork
- Building creative community through hospitality and art
- Trusting God’s timing through life’s setbacks
- Ways to naturally share your faith with those who encounter your art
🌟 Favorite Quotes from This Episode:
“I’ve always been an artist, but it’s taken a lifetime of twists and turns to get to where I am now—and I wouldn’t trade the journey.” — Debbie Gallerani
“When you open your home and your heart to people, creativity flows in both directions.” — Matt Tommey
“God made us to create. Every time we use our gifts, we reflect His heart to the world.” — Debbie Gallerani
🌐 Connect with Debbie Gallerani: https://www.debbiegalleraniart.com/
✅ Stay Connected & Grow as a Thriving Christian Artist:
- 📬 Subscribe to The Thriving Christian Artist Weekly: https://thrive.matttommeymentoring.com/tca-weekly
- 📚 Find My Best-Selling Books: https://www.matttommeymentoring.com/resources
- 🎓 Explore Artist Mentoring Programs: https://www.matttommeymentoring.com/mentoring
Find out more about The Created to Thrive Foundations Course
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Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
All of the world, artists are awakening.
Painters and potters, writersand weavers, poets and dancers
not chasing followers or fame,but sons and daughters called
for such a time as this,transformed from the inside out,
creating with purpose,releasing the glory of God and
living in the power of thekingdom.
Right now, this is the ThrivingChristian Artist.
(00:21):
Well, hey, friends, it's Matt.
Tommy, super glad that you areback with me on the podcast
today.
You know, I think all of usartists can really, you know,
remember times where we hadsetbacks and things that didn't
go as normal in our life, and myguest today, debbie Gallerani,
has had one of those lives aswell.
(00:41):
Things have not gone perfectly,debbie, right, so we get to
talk about the good things ofGod and how he's brought you
through on this journey and inyour art.
So, debbie, welcome.
So glad you're here today.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Thank you so much, matt, it's a pleasure.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Absolutely so.
For those folks that are justkind of getting to know you, why
don't you let us know kind ofwhere you are in the world, what
you do now creatively, and thenwe'll jump into a little bit of
your history and all that allright.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
well, I live in tucson, arizona and um, being
originally from palm springs.
I love the heat, one of thosecrazy people that loves palm
trees and pools and cactus, andanyway, um, yeah.
So I'm back out in the desertand I am doing more fine art.
I do a sculpture, I do thesejackrabbits, and they're really
(01:28):
cute.
I also do mixed media and theyhave a lot of whimsical looks to
them.
I am a professional cartoonist,so that's where that all comes
in, and I also run a bed andbreakfast part-time in my house.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
In your spare time.
I'm going to say right, in myspare time.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yeah, exactly, I'm twirling the plates, and so
that's been fun too.
I call my place La Casa de laTista, which is the artist's
house, and so I get a lot ofreally interesting guests.
I get musicians and poets andwriters and different artists,
and it's really fabulous.
I love it.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
That's so cool.
I remember we were in Santa Ferecently with uh, did a retreat
with one of our our programs,our mastery program, and uh, one
of the galleries I follow.
There every Friday night theyhave different artists and
musicians and live music andpoetry readings and all this
kind of stuff and I'm like thatsounds so fun.
It sounds like the bed andbreakfast that you're running
(02:25):
almost.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
It is, it is.
I mean, there are obviouslyother people doing other things,
but I do tend to get a lot ofartists.
They're attracted to just thewhole vibe.
I got going here.
There's art everywhere, allover the house.
And so it's been a realblessing because you know we
kind of feed off each other aswell, encourage each other and
and a lot of times I share youknow the Lord with them and
(02:50):
absolutely every time I shareyou with them.
I'm like you need to go to MattTommy's website.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
I love it.
I love it.
Well, you know, debbie, one ofthe things I've realized over
the years in my life, and you'veprobably heard this as well
people kind of see you in thisseason of life.
You know that you're in, right,so you've got a bed and
breakfast and you're doing yourart and you're doing all this
stuff and everybody's like Iwish I had a life like that.
But people don't realize, likethe journey right, that it took
(03:18):
for you to get to where you areand that it wasn't all perfect
and everything.
So kind of roll the tape backfor us when it wasn't all
perfect and everything.
So kind of roll the tape backfor us.
Where did where did your artsort of emerge in your life and
and uh, and what's that looklike for you over the years?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
well, I always was an artist and um, and I drew
cartoons.
I wanted to have a comic strip,syndicated comic strip.
That was my original goal.
And so from very little youknow the old my mom would get
the paper from the butcher, putit out on the floor.
I'd be drawing cartoons and I,uh, just really that was my goal
(03:53):
, that was my love of my life.
And also it's kind of funnybecause the comic book, the
Archies I don't know if youremember the Archies back in the
fifties, but I love them.
So Betty and Veronica, you know, and I think some of my
characters kind of came fromthat as well.
Anyway, and then through highschool, I just, you know, kept
(04:14):
doing my art and I got better atillustrating.
So, I started in illustration aswell.
Then I thought, well, you know,I'm going to get into
commercial art, which of courseis called graphic design now and
um.
So then I kind of moved intothat, which became um, very, uh,
(04:36):
advantageous having thebackground of cartooning and
illustrating, going into youknow commercial art field
because I was able to customizepeople's designs and logos, et
cetera.
But the hard part, oh mygoodness yeah.
So in high school I don't knowwhy, but I wasn't connecting
(04:57):
with my counselors and myparents weren't connecting with
me, but somehow I didn't getinto any kind of college.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
And my art teacher was like, oh, you can get into
Pasadena Art Center, no problem,you're a shoo-in.
And I was like, yay, great, Ididn't know what to do.
I mean, I was just this dumbkid, you know, going to school
and you know I'm the best in theclass.
I guess that's all I need to do.
And lo and behold, the day theygave out scholarships.
(05:26):
I didn't get one.
And I was just devastated.
I was like, okay, what did Imiss here?
So I got my own portfoliotogether and I drove up to
Pasadena and made an appointmentwith the administration and the
man who interviewed me oh myword, he was so mean.
I mean, he was.
He just looked at me and helooked at my work.
(05:47):
He's like like, like wow, youneed like two years of junior
college for you to get in hereand I was just devastated.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
So that kind of stuff hurts, no matter who's saying
it right.
I mean, that was not a goodlaunching pad yeah, yeah career.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
And so I was like, okay, and I didn't do art for a
while.
So I thought, well, maybe I'mnot supposed to do art.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
But it's in my soul.
Did you know anybody else thatwas an artist at that time?
Like making a living from theircreativity, or was that totally
foreign?
I mean just a dream of yours?
Speaker 2 (06:18):
It was just a dream.
Yeah, you know, not really, Ireally didn't.
Back then it was a littleharder, you know, we couldn't
just go online and look up anartist.
Yeah, sure, you had to doeverything very organically and
so, yeah, I didn't know anyone,so I was just on my own going
(06:38):
for it.
So a couple of years later Iwent into.
I figured, well, I'm just goingto go out of state, because in
California that's where I livedwas very expensive to go to
school and I thought, well, I'mgoing to just try something
different.
So I applied at this academy inYork, pennsylvania.
I got in, moved there, knew nota soul, all the way across the
(07:00):
country too.
Oh my God, all the way acrossthe country got to experience
snow, which I didn't like at all, but um, it was.
It was so much fun, it was justsuch a blessing that that
school but here's another doorthat closed after one year in
that school, um, they closeddown because, of funding or
whatever.
So here I am going, you knowwhat you know.
(07:23):
So I tried to stay in the placewhere I was staying and the
landlord said, no, you can stayhere, and anyway I ended up
going back out to california.
And then, um, shortly after Ihad met my husband my first
husband in art school, and gotmarried, had a little girl, and
(07:43):
from there it was like I can'tgo back to school because I have
family and I would do all kindsof art just to keep doing it,
because I couldn't get a job, Ididn't have a certificate right
so I thought you know what I'mworking at this restaurant.
Maybe they need a new menu ormaybe they need, um, some
advertising then.
(08:04):
So that's what I would do foryears.
I would have like a regular joband then I would do all kinds
of art graphics for them and tokeep the, the river, flowing
right the river flowing exactlyand I don't know if you remember
, but do you remember press type?
Speaker 1 (08:21):
because we didn't have.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
So press type was where we didn't have the
computer so we had to handeither hand letter things or
press type was where thesesheets of letters and we placed
it on whatever you were workingon and then you press the type
on.
So that's what we use for likeheadlines and stuff.
So this is we're talking.
(08:45):
yeah, way back in the day backin the day, back in the day you
know where'd that come from,Anyway, um, so yeah, that's what
I did for years and years andyears.
And then finally I got a job atPalm Springs life magazine and
it was $5 an hour.
I was excited.
I was like I don't care, I needto get in here, I'm we'll sweep
(09:07):
the floors, I don't care.
And um, I started off as aproduction artist and then went
to designing in one month andthat was just.
I was so excited and I figuredat that point, matt, I figured
in my life, since I didn't getmy certificate, I didn't get to
finish college, I didn't get todo the whole school thing.
(09:29):
My experience with whatever Idid in art, for whomever I
worked for, I was a sponge.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
I thought this is my school.
This is now my education.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
And so I was a little sponge and everything I did.
I was a little sponge andeverything I did I was just like
, okay, remember this, learnthis, ask questions.
So I never take for granted allthe crazy stuff I did because,
well, I learned a lot.
I mean, I worked for silkscreening companies and I hand
painted political signs forpeople on big pieces of wood.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Anything you could get color on right.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Anything I could get my hands on and I mean obviously
, if it was weird I wouldn't doit.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
but yeah, yeah, sure.
Now, when did you come to theLord, Debbie, and when did you
ever begin to sense like thiscreative gift is from him?
Or was this kind of a lot ofpeople, like I did, a lot of
people kind of live in thesesilos of my art life over here,
spiritual life over here?
So what was that, that part ofyour journey, like?
Speaker 2 (10:28):
well, I came to the Lord when I was 11.
I went to a church camp and umaccepted the board there.
It was amazing.
It was just a really beautifulexperience and I was deeply
involved in my church andeverything.
I was up until about maybe 14,15 in high school.
(10:48):
Now, of course, the Lord neverleaves you.
He was always with me and Ialways felt his presence in the
Holy Spirit.
But I went off and did dumbthings for a while, but I always
always felt that God was partof my art world.
I never let that go.
(11:09):
I never felt like, oh, I'm socool, I'm an artist.
I was just like no, I'm sograteful.
You know, this is God's gift.
This is God doing this.
This is not me.
I never wanted to take you know, because people get real
excited.
They're like, oh, you're Debbie.
And oh, you know, becausepeople get real excited.
They're like, oh, you're Debbie, and you know you did this.
I'm like thank you, but I meanit's really the Lord.
(11:30):
He's just gifted me and I feelso blessed because of that.
So I've always felt that, um,even though it was kind of a
little growing up and doingcrazy things, but you know, God
was always with me.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
We all have those seasons, right.
We go off the rail and comeback.
Yeah, he's always there.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Oh, yeah, drawing us back.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
You know I've talked to so many people, debbie, who
you know, we we had these dreamsof being an artist as a kid,
even as a young person, maybe incollege.
Life happens right Get married,have a baby, got jobs.
You're still doing a little bitof creativity on the side.
But when at your life did youstart to realize if I don't do
(12:12):
more creativity like I'm gonna,I'm gonna die over here.
I gotta, I gotta really beginto do more of that, because I
think all of us come to thatplace, uh, in our life, maybe in
middle age or as we, as we getolder, that well, I've lived all
these years without this.
I can't do that anymore.
I've got.
I've got to really give thisthe attention that it deserves.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
I think once I moved to Tucson that's when it really
happened.
Um, I'm single and started mylife over and I thought you know
, deb, why are you wishy-washywith this?
You need to really need toreally focus.
This is a gift that god gaveyou and you need to focus and do
(12:55):
something with it, not just la,la, la, whatever.
Um, now, the graphic designpart when I was doing that over
the years was very good.
Um, I had my own company for awhile, worked for an advertising
agency as well as Palm SpringsLight Magazine, and I started to
get carpal tunnel and terriblepain in my back when I was
(13:17):
because I'd be hours and hoursand hours on the computer.
So my switch came when I visitedmy dad and I hadn't seen him in
a very long time.
But he was a painter and hepainted with in oils and they
were just gorgeous and I waslike, wow, all righty.
So he inspired me and I startedpainting and I hated everything
(13:38):
I did no perfectionism there,right.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
No perfection, none at all well.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
All I saw was cartoons.
I'm like, oh, what is this, youknow?
And finally, with your help andthe Lord's help, it's like, deb
, you're a cartoonist, it's okay.
So, if you need that crazy funthing to show and shine through
your work, then let it be.
Don't try to be somebody else,so um just to pause on that.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Were you were you, were you thinking that, oh,
cartooning is not real art?
Like this is the real art andthis is just fun, like what?
Speaker 2 (14:14):
was going through your mind.
Yeah, I guess I was.
Isn't that funny?
I think also, society in a waythinks that they kind of do.
I mean there are some artiststhat do have pieces that are,
you know, cartoonish or whatever, I mean you know, famous of
course, but I think I don't know.
(14:35):
It was just so different.
I think I was just looking at somuch different kinds of fine
art that it just it stumbled mefor a bit so yeah I did find
some common ground, though, as Ilooked at folk art, because
folk art was just fun andcolorful, and so my combination
with a little bit of that folkart and then my cartooning and
(14:57):
the illustration, it just, itjust made its own.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
I made my own pudding , yeah yeah, absolutely well, I
think that's one of thebeautiful things about being an
artist when you finally startaccepting, hey, this uniqueness
that I think is so weird and itdoesn't fit.
This is actually god's secretsauce in my creative life, right
?
So?
Speaker 2 (15:16):
it really is, and I think a lot of artists feel that
way.
You know, having talked todifferent artists, um, through
my bed and breakfast, you knowpeople tend to artists
especially like, oh, you know,I'm not good enough, or you know
, what do you think I don't know?
And I'm like, hey, this is,this is great.
You know, I mean, just keepgoing, keep working at it.
(15:37):
I think it's beautiful.
And, um, also, I was, um an artinstruction art instructor for
high school for a year, and Iwant to tell you that that was a
wonderful job because it wasfor a charter school.
So half the students were goingto like theater and sports and
(16:01):
they needed more time to do that, and then part of the time
they'd be on campus and thenpart-time was online.
This is when online classes werestarting okay the other half
were students that were kickedout of public school, so I had a
real interesting group yeah,sure now the kids that were
little troublemakers.
(16:22):
I love them.
I love them so much.
They were just pleading forattention in their own silly way
.
You know, they didn't know sothrough art, that was our
communication and they'd getreal upset or they'd just flip
out and I go okay, you know,like it's okay, calm down, and
I'd take each one and I juststart talking to them about
(16:44):
every.
Every artist in the whole worldstarted off with what you have
in front of you, which is ablank canvas.
Michelangelo and Da Vinci, theydidn't start off with some
fancy thing.
They all started with a blankcanvas.
So we start at the beginning,we move slowly.
There's going to be layers,it's going to take time, but you
know what.
(17:04):
You can do.
This, this is easy.
So I break it down and make itreal simple for them.
And again, I get this well, I'mnot good enough or I can't do
that, and I'm like, sure you can, sure you can.
It's okay, just take the timewe can do this.
And at the end, oh, I had onegirl.
She was great.
(17:25):
She would do little cartoons onthe side, like a little notepad
, right.
So one day she shows that theywere supposed to bring in their
finished piece and we put it upon the top board and they
critique it.
So she was going well, I didn'tmind in the car this morning,
(17:46):
like we're supposed to beimpressed with that right, right
, right, and I was like I gaveher an f because it was bad.
She was so astounded she waslike how dare you, you know.
So I pulled her aside after theclass and I said you know, I
gave you an f.
She says yeah.
She says yeah because youdidn't put any effort into it,
(18:09):
honey he says but you know what?
you are so good, I've seen yourwork and I know you can do this.
You don't need to just randomlydo this in the car.
I mean, you're great, you're anexcellent artist, right, and so
I really, really would love tosee something fabulous back of
(18:29):
you for the next assignment.
From then on.
She's a rock star wow yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
I was just going to say, as you're saying all this
to what you're saying to thekids, I'm just hearing the Lord
say yep, that's what I did,that's what I said to Debbie
early on, that's how I led you.
It's like that's how the Lordsay yep, that's what I did,
that's what I said to Debbieearly on, that's how I led you.
It's like it's like that's howthe Lord led you.
Right, these, these littleinvitations.
I know this doesn't make senseright now.
I know you feel inadequate.
I know you feel unprepared forthis.
(19:00):
I know this isn't working outexactly the way you thought it
was going to work out, but trustme, right, just keep
participating in the process.
I mean, do you see that I guessthe same kind of thing in your
life?
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Absolutely, I mean that was a total God thing,
because I had never been ateacher before and I don't have
teaching credentials, so I hadto have another teacher in the
room with me and so I just gotup in front of the class and
just start talking andeverything just was natural.
It was like God really giftedme with that and, yes, it was
(19:33):
almost like again like a lessonfor me too.
It was like God was speakingthrough me to the kids, but he
was also filling me so much.
It was really a beautiful thing, and I actually wouldn't mind
doing that again, whether it bejust private lessons or
something yeah, yeah, so youmentioned I guess nowadays
(19:55):
you've got the bed and breakfast.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
What does your art life look like right now?
You're selling your work.
Are you what?
What does all that look like?
Are you teaching at all?
Speaker 2 (20:03):
and so, um, I started your.
Well, actually, I first saw you, I think it was through
Facebook.
It was like a free class for acouple of days and I did that.
I thought, oh, this was, it waswonderful, I just fell in love
with it.
But it wasn't time for me, Iwasn't ready to really dive deep
into that.
So I think another year went byand you did the bootcamp.
(20:29):
Yeah, the cash flow bootcamp andthat one, that one I really
connected with because I'm likeI need to make some money doing
this.
So when I saw that I wentthrough I was like, oh my
goodness, there was one partwhere you said something about
propel.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
Like you know, propelling.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
That's the marketing system.
We teach yeah, sure, yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
And I drove.
I got in my car that day and Iwas driving to the store and I
looked up in the sky and therewas this cloud in the shape of
an airplane.
Wow, it's amazing, but anyway,so that got me started.
That's when I joined thementoring group, and it's just,
matt.
It's just made such adifference in how I think about
my art and how I do it.
So, and what difference thedifference is is that I lean
(21:21):
into the Lord more, because allmy life I was what?
Speaker 1 (21:25):
did it look like before and it goes.
Nobody ever says I was neverleaning into the Lord, I was
just a selfish striver, like Ithink a lot of people think that
they were.
But maybe what is different nowthan what you were doing, like,
draw that distinction forpeople so they can maybe
understand.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
I think then I knew that God had gifted me, but I
think, because it just came soeasily that what you know, just
my talent and everything, that Ididn't really think much about
it like, oh god, gift me.
Okay, here we go where, when Ihad to just start over with
everything and I wanted to movefurther with my art.
(22:03):
You know, honestly, here it is,it's fine art, going from
graphic design to fine art.
That really was such a shift Imean because graphic design as
you know, you were a graphicdesigner people tell you what to
do and you go okay and you makeit look all beautiful.
Where fine art?
You're like giving out yoursoul and your heart and your
(22:24):
spirit and and then, if someonedoesn't like it, you're like you
just crushed me right now.
So that was the difference.
I was trying to, uh, portraywhat I was thinking.
And it was just.
It was just such a differentelement to be in.
I just struggled with it.
(22:46):
Yeah, and that's when I leanedinto the Lord.
I was like, okay, what do youwant me to do?
Because you know, I was goingthrough the I hate my art thing.
And then I was going through,it looks, everything looks like
a cartoon, or I'm not goodenough, or how do I get in the
gallery?
I mean, there were just so manyquestions, so many, so much to
learn, yeah.
And so I would just everymorning I would just say thank
(23:11):
you, lord, for just blessing mewith everything you've given me.
You know my heart.
Please, just what do you wantme to do?
And that's when, you know know,I found your classes and I
started moving into that.
So, basically, what hashappened since then?
It's very exciting.
Um, I've been in several showssince then.
(23:35):
One of them I had guests whostayed here and they have an art
gallery in Scottsdale.
Oh wow, Big art market, yes, andso they were like your stuff is
really good.
And so they're like would youlike to be in one of our shows?
And I'm like yes, so that wasreal exciting and it's just like
things are just, things justhappen.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
You know things people see them.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
I go to Borrego springs a lot.
It's a beautiful place incalifornia.
It's in the anza brego uh statepark and it's a little tiny
town but it's very art filled.
And I met a lady there.
I purposely sought her outbecause I've loved her store.
It was mid-century modern.
I'm like I want to be in herstore.
So I sought her out and I drewspecifically these animals in a
(24:24):
mid-century modern style, thesedesert animals, and I presented
them to her and she's like, oh,these are great.
So then she invited me to aChristmas show and then she said
would you like to have yourwork in my shop full time?
I said yes.
And she invited me to have asolo show.
Then, a year later, she invitedme to have a solo show.
Then, a year later, she invitedme to be in another solo show.
(24:45):
And now I'm in another show.
It's a?
Um with two other artists atthis beautiful uh hotel.
It's mid-century modern hotelthere, but anyway, um, it's like
god has steered me to the rightpeople for the you know, to
communicate with them, and umand that's and I always kind of
keep my eyes open and my feelersopen.
(25:06):
It's like, yeah, that's that.
That place looks like that.
My art would fit in there Imean why would I go to a gallery
that does landscapes?
Speaker 1 (25:14):
I don't do landscapes , so you have to find where your
niche is.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
So yeah, I just love that.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
I was just going to say.
I think that's one of thethings I love most about
watching people in the mentoringprogram.
You know, kind of get thisrealization that I got.
I mean, that was my story aswell, trying to do my art all
those years by myself and thenbeginning to understand how the
kingdom of God works and thatwe've already been given
everything we need, that all theresources and relationships and
(25:41):
opportunities are already outthere for us, that we've just
got to, like you're saying, keepour eyes open, ears to the Lord
.
You know expectation in ourheart, all of that, and as we
walk, he begins to intersect ourpath and I think when you, it's
just so powerful.
That's why I never get tired ofdoing what I do right, because I
just love seeing when you bringthe practical knowledge of what
(26:04):
people need.
You know, because there's a lotof stuff right, you got to know
how to run an art business anddevelop voice, all that.
But when you combine it with akingdom, it's like there is this
quote unquote magical sort ofcombustion that happens where
all of a sudden it may seem likeyou've been struggling for
years and all of a sudden, likeyou said, things just kind of
flow.
Things just like opportunities,start coming out of nowhere and
(26:25):
you're like, did God just getin a good mood?
And you're like, no, that's howthe kingdom works.
Like you begin to get into theflow of what God's had for you
the whole time.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
I mean, that's just so good.
It's true, it's trueno-transcript phone and she's
(27:06):
like oh, we have a space here,would you like?
And it was like the firstbuilding right in front.
She says we have a space here,would you like to to be there?
Speaker 1 (27:14):
yes, thank you very much I joined the co-op.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
I've worked there for two years, but during that time
the people I met they werediscussing opening up a new
gallery in Tubac.
Tubac is this great little artcolony in southern Arizona and
you know I want to be on that.
I mean, it was so weird.
I was just like, oh, okay, Iwant to do that.
Like I didn't even think aboutit really.
It was just like, yes, yes, Iwant to do this.
(27:39):
So I invested some money in it,but drive down the two back.
Um, I did their logo, I did allyou know their advertising etc.
But, um, eventually I left.
It was just a lot to run thebed and breakfast and do my art
and run the gallery, but theexperience, you know, that's the
thing it's like how often doessomeone say would you like to be
co-owner of the art gallery?
(28:00):
It's like, when does this happen?
So I'm like, yes, I want to dothat.
So the experience being on theother side selling art, it was
really wonderful.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
How are you deciding now?
I guess, because you've hadsuch a varied past and lots and
lots of different experiences, Iguess what are the?
What are the, the signposts, ifyou will, the guardrails in
your life right now that arethat you're using, maybe the
filter that you're using to sayyes to these things, no to these
things right now?
Like, how are you deciding?
(28:33):
Because you're a talentedperson, right, you're a
go-getter, obviously you coulddo anything you wanted to do,
right.
So what?
How is the Lord leading you tochoose the right things for this
season in your life?
And even if that means, likeyou just said, with the art
gallery, like that's a no forright now, that season is over.
How is that for you right now?
Speaker 2 (28:55):
That's a very interesting question.
The bed and breakfast isactually not doing that well,
Probably economy.
Well, of course, in the summerhere in Arizona nobody wants to
come here.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
I plead and beg I know it's not that bad really
and they're like yeah right, 112degrees, but it's a dry heat
right.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
You know it's a dry heat, but this year it's been
actually really humid but,anyway.
So I had.
This is interesting because oneof my bathrooms in on the guest
side of my house, um, uh, theplumbing one of the pipes broke,
so right now I have this roomin a bathroom that's completely
(29:37):
demolished.
They had to come in and demo itand tear the walls down, so I
had to shut down two rooms onthat side, so I have one room
open, plus it's dead, and so I'mlike, hmm, what is happening
here?
You know Well.
Number one it gives me moretime to do my art.
Number two it gives me moretime to think about where do I
(29:58):
want to go with my art.
I think, really, matt, I don'tknow if you agree with me, but
this is a season, I think, forall artists, because it is a
little on the slow side here andthere, you know, just with
things going on, and so it doesgive you time to think rather
than panic and go oh my gosh.
You know, I think it's justlike, okay, well, maybe God just
wants you to step back and lookand think about well, what do
you really want to do now?
(30:19):
Where?
Speaker 1 (30:19):
do you?
Speaker 2 (30:19):
want to go.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
No, I totally agree, cause even this last, you know,
we moved to Texas.
This is I can't believe thisJuly is when we're recording
this and it is now starting ourfourth year here in Texas, which
seems crazy to me, but it'slike these last two and a half
years for us.
I mean, anytime you movelocations like that, it's a big,
you know, transition orwhatever.
(30:41):
And we felt some of that, likethings online or not what they
were during COVID, and thingsare changing and you're just
trying to get your your footing.
But I think, same thing withyou and with me.
It's like if you can trust theLord in the middle of the
seasons that are what seemedlike harvest time, and you can
trust him in the seasons thatthat seemed like winter time,
(31:02):
he's, he's your provider, nomatter what, right, he's leading
guidance you no matter what.
And just because you have spacein the middle of a season where
normally maybe you were justkind of like busy as you could
be and couldn't even have timeto breathe, you know, neither
one of those is more the lordthan the other.
He's, he's not more faithful toprovide for you in one season
(31:22):
than he is the other, and Ithink that, to me, is the
challenge for all of us that arematuring in the Lord and
maturing as artists and asbusiness people, that when you
can get that whole idea that hisprovision is solid, his love
for me is solid.
Even though the winds may blowand the you know, jesus said
it'll rain on the just and theunjust right, he is the constant
(31:46):
in the middle and I'm just likeyou.
You said you had a little moretime for your art, like in the
last two and a half years.
I started this whole new bodyof work which is selling like
hotcakes, and I'm in some newgalleries and I'm doing some
things I never thought I'd bedoing creatively and would have
never.
I would have never had spacefor it had I just continued to
push on and try to makesomething happen, even when
(32:08):
things weren't in that flow thatwe've talked about.
So I totally resonate with whatyou're saying there.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
Yeah, yeah.
So it's a little open right now.
I'm still going through alittle bit of thinking about it,
praying about it, because I doa lot of different things.
My hands are all over.
I did this hand-painted handbag, so I started that and I just I
don't know.
I like having a lot of projectsgoing.
(32:36):
Yeah, sure, but the thing is,which projects really should I
be doing?
So I think that's my big prayernow is lord.
Okay, I've got like five or sixthings going.
Which ones should I reallyfocus on, or should I maybe try
something different?
So I'm, I'm, I'm a little bitin that season of and what I had
said before, you know, teachingart to some students.
(32:58):
I, that has really been on mymind and I've been praying about
that one.
That would just be so joyful tome.
I would love to do that, but,um, yeah, so I just I just keep
doing um, just seeking outdifferent avenues and different
stores, different um, because Idon't necessarily um, my work
isn't really necessarily, um,necessarily my work isn't really
(33:20):
necessarily good for, like, biggalleries.
Mine is.
It's just fun stuff, you know.
So there's some great greatboutiques and stores that have
local artists in them, and sothat's kind of what I'm focusing
on is is is doing that andsupporting local, local places,
local artists.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Well, I'm just convinced, and I know you are
too.
We've just listened to yourlife story and all this.
It's like God is going to blessus if we'll keep our hearts
close to him and we'll keep ourear to what he's saying, and I
think our job is to, not to.
We always want to figure outhow God's going to bless us.
Right?
I want to do the thing thatGod's going to bless, and God's
like.
My promise is to bless you.
(33:59):
You just need to go, do whatI've created you to do, right,
I'll be the one that chooseswhere the fruit's going to come,
where the opportunity is goingto come.
You just got to show upfaithful in the studio and be
who God's called you to be everyday, and I I don't know, I
think, the more you can, all ofus can say, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah
, man, yeah, I get that.
Yeah, you say you get it untilthe well runs dry, until the
(34:20):
bathroom breaks, until theeconomy slows down and all of
that, and then it's like yousaid, you really- and get into
college, get a job.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
I mean.
So it's funny, because I'm soused to those things happening,
like some people would justcompletely lose their minds, and
I'm kind of like, oh okay, well, let's see what next.
I mean mean not like I wasn'tupset, I was.
But um, again, you know, Ithink, I really think god does.
He has these things happen inyour life.
You know it's like the refiningfire.
Speaker 1 (34:49):
You know he's refining us all the time you
know, and I'm like I guess Ineeded another layer to be
refined, right lord no,absolutely, absolutely, yeah,
well, and it birthed thisflexible trust in us that it's.
You know who was it?
I mean, I don't know who saidthis like expectancy is uh, or
expectation is like it's gottahappen this way, right.
(35:11):
If it doesn't happen that way,I'm gonna be disappointed.
But like expectancy is thisidea that I don't know what's
gonna happen, but I knowsomething good is gonna happen
and I know God's in control ofit and if I can just keep my
heart and mind in that place,everything's going to be good.
Debbie, I just wonder, as peopleare listening today and they're
(35:34):
thinking I'm in one of thoseseasons that doesn't make sense.
I'm in one of those seasonsmaybe they've gone through a
divorce, maybe their kids havejust moved away, or maybe
they've lost a child, or maybejust their art is just kind of
seeming in a funky place rightnow.
They just can't see anythingthat looks like God in the
middle of it.
During one of those sort ofin-between seasons that you've
(35:55):
walked through so many of.
What would you say to encouragethem today?
Speaker 2 (36:00):
I say well, leaning into the Lord, and what I mean
by that is dig deep intoscripture.
I always feel like in themorning, you know, when I do my
scripture reading, sometimes Idon't have a plan, I just kind
of open it up and go startreading.
But you know, god is.
He's very well aware of whatwe're going through and he will
(36:23):
lead us to the perfect versesthat we need at that time.
He does for me and it's likewow, I mean because we're
thinking one thing and we lookat the scripture and we're like,
oh, wow, I wasn't even thinkingthat, but that totally makes
sense, you know.
And that's what?
Wow, I wasn't even thinkingthat, but that totally makes
sense, you know.
And that's what I do.
(36:44):
I guess there's going to be hardtimes.
There's going to be, you know,calling your friends and going,
ah, you know, and all that stuff, which is fine.
But in the long run it justcomes down to trusting and
having faith and being patient.
You know it does take patience,especially, you know, the does
take patience I especially, youknow, the young people nowadays
I feel so bad.
They want everything right nowyou know, like with their phones
(37:07):
.
it's like I want this Amazon.
Here we go, boom.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
That's right here tomorrow Right.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
I go.
Life isn't like that sometimes,you know if you've got to just
but just think of it.
This is a growing thing.
This is this is a time when Godwants you to learn something
about yourself, and when youopen up to that, what's
happening right now?
Why is this happening?
What do you want me to learnabout me?
(37:34):
What's happening in me?
Maybe there's a lesson, Maybethere's something I've been
holding back.
Maybe there's this thing that'sjust inside me that needs to go
away.
So, I think, ask thosequestions to God and he'll
reveal them.
And those are those.
I think that's why he gives usthose times.
I must have had a lot ofproblems, Ted, a lot of those
(37:56):
times.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
Hey, he's as the old song says, he's still working on
me, right?
I mean, he's still working onme.
We've all got stuff, because Ithink God, God has so much, so
many good things for us, but heknows so many good things unless
our heart is healed.
Right that we were not able towalk in the things that he's got
for us, and so he does.
He walks us through these,these seasons of pause and just
(38:20):
to take a deep breath and lethim refine our hearts and
prepare us for the next thing.
Speaker 2 (38:24):
So and find a nice place that you, that you can
love, like go out in the desertand take a deep breath and just
and just just be with God.
Speaker 1 (38:35):
That's right, that's right.
Well, debbie, this has been sogreat to just connect again and
get to share your story with allour listeners and viewers.
I know that folks are going towant to connect with you, so
where is the best place onlinethat they can see your work and
maybe follow you on social mediaor what?
Speaker 2 (38:51):
I have a website it's DebbieGallaraniArtcom.
Debbiegallaraniartcom andGallarani's G-A-L-L-E-R-A-N-I
like a gallery.
And then my Instagram isDebbieArtWorld.
I don't know why it'sDebbieArtWorld, but my kids did
(39:12):
that for me.
Speaker 1 (39:14):
That's what it is.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
It is what it is DebbieArtWorld on Instagram, and
then I have a Facebook page.
It's the Artistic World ofDebbie Gallerani, and I think
those are the main ones.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (39:28):
Nice, nice, well, good, well, listen again.
What a joy.
Thank you for sharing yourstory, thanks for being on, and
I know that tons of people havebeen so inspired by all that
God's done in your life, sothanks for being on today.
Speaker 2 (39:40):
Oh, thank you so much , Matt it was fun.
Speaker 1 (39:43):
Hey, my friend, before you go, make sure that
you're signed up for theThriving Christian Artist Weekly
.
It's my free newsletter, fullof spiritual encouragement,
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thrive in everything that God'scalled you to do as an artist in
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Every issue is absolutely freeand it includes the latest
podcast episode, featured artistspotlights, a worship song of
(40:04):
the week and again, tons of tipsand encouragement and
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You can click the link righthere in the show notes to join
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Alright, love you Bye.
All of the world, artists are awakening.
Painters and potters, writersand weavers, poets and dancers
not chasing followers or fame,but sons and daughters called
for such a time as this,transformed from the inside out,
creating with purpose,releasing the glory of God and
living in the power of thekingdom.
Right now, this is the ThrivingChristian Artist.
(00:21):
Well, hey, friends, it's Matt.
Tommy, super glad that you areback with me on the podcast
today.
You know, I think all of usartists can really, you know,
remember times where we hadsetbacks and things that didn't
go as normal in our life, and myguest today, debbie Gallerani,
has had one of those lives aswell.
(00:41):
Things have not gone perfectly,debbie, right, so we get to
talk about the good things ofGod and how he's brought you
through on this journey and inyour art.
So, debbie, welcome.
So glad you're here today.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Thank you so much, matt, it's a pleasure.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Absolutely so.
For those folks that are justkind of getting to know you, why
don't you let us know kind ofwhere you are in the world, what
you do now creatively, and thenwe'll jump into a little bit of
your history and all that allright.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
well, I live in tucson, arizona and um, being
originally from palm springs.
I love the heat, one of thosecrazy people that loves palm
trees and pools and cactus, andanyway, um, yeah.
So I'm back out in the desertand I am doing more fine art.
I do a sculpture, I do thesejackrabbits, and they're really
(01:28):
cute.
I also do mixed media and theyhave a lot of whimsical looks to
them.
I am a professional cartoonist,so that's where that all comes
in, and I also run a bed andbreakfast part-time in my house.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
In your spare time.
I'm going to say right, in myspare time.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yeah, exactly, I'm twirling the plates, and so
that's been fun too.
I call my place La Casa de laTista, which is the artist's
house, and so I get a lot ofreally interesting guests.
I get musicians and poets andwriters and different artists,
and it's really fabulous.
I love it.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
That's so cool.
I remember we were in Santa Ferecently with uh, did a retreat
with one of our our programs,our mastery program, and uh, one
of the galleries I follow.
There every Friday night theyhave different artists and
musicians and live music andpoetry readings and all this
kind of stuff and I'm like thatsounds so fun.
It sounds like the bed andbreakfast that you're running
(02:25):
almost.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
It is, it is.
I mean, there are obviouslyother people doing other things,
but I do tend to get a lot ofartists.
They're attracted to just thewhole vibe.
I got going here.
There's art everywhere, allover the house.
And so it's been a realblessing because you know we
kind of feed off each other aswell, encourage each other and
and a lot of times I share youknow the Lord with them and
(02:50):
absolutely every time I shareyou with them.
I'm like you need to go to MattTommy's website.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
I love it.
I love it.
Well, you know, debbie, one ofthe things I've realized over
the years in my life, and you'veprobably heard this as well
people kind of see you in thisseason of life.
You know that you're in, right,so you've got a bed and
breakfast and you're doing yourart and you're doing all this
stuff and everybody's like Iwish I had a life like that.
But people don't realize, likethe journey right, that it took
(03:18):
for you to get to where you areand that it wasn't all perfect
and everything.
So kind of roll the tape backfor us when it wasn't all
perfect and everything.
So kind of roll the tape backfor us.
Where did where did your artsort of emerge in your life and
and uh, and what's that looklike for you over the years?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
well, I always was an artist and um, and I drew
cartoons.
I wanted to have a comic strip,syndicated comic strip.
That was my original goal.
And so from very little youknow the old my mom would get
the paper from the butcher, putit out on the floor.
I'd be drawing cartoons and I,uh, just really that was my goal
(03:53):
, that was my love of my life.
And also it's kind of funnybecause the comic book, the
Archies I don't know if youremember the Archies back in the
fifties, but I love them.
So Betty and Veronica, you know, and I think some of my
characters kind of came fromthat as well.
Anyway, and then through highschool, I just, you know, kept
(04:14):
doing my art and I got better atillustrating.
So, I started in illustration aswell.
Then I thought, well, you know,I'm going to get into
commercial art, which of courseis called graphic design now and
um.
So then I kind of moved intothat, which became um, very, uh,
(04:36):
advantageous having thebackground of cartooning and
illustrating, going into youknow commercial art field
because I was able to customizepeople's designs and logos, et
cetera.
But the hard part, oh mygoodness yeah.
So in high school I don't knowwhy, but I wasn't connecting
(04:57):
with my counselors and myparents weren't connecting with
me, but somehow I didn't getinto any kind of college.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
And my art teacher was like, oh, you can get into
Pasadena Art Center, no problem,you're a shoo-in.
And I was like, yay, great, Ididn't know what to do.
I mean, I was just this dumbkid, you know, going to school
and you know I'm the best in theclass.
I guess that's all I need to do.
And lo and behold, the day theygave out scholarships.
(05:26):
I didn't get one.
And I was just devastated.
I was like, okay, what did Imiss here?
So I got my own portfoliotogether and I drove up to
Pasadena and made an appointmentwith the administration and the
man who interviewed me oh myword, he was so mean.
I mean, he was.
He just looked at me and helooked at my work.
(05:47):
He's like like, like wow, youneed like two years of junior
college for you to get in hereand I was just devastated.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
So that kind of stuff hurts, no matter who's saying
it right.
I mean, that was not a goodlaunching pad yeah, yeah career.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
And so I was like, okay, and I didn't do art for a
while.
So I thought, well, maybe I'mnot supposed to do art.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
But it's in my soul.
Did you know anybody else thatwas an artist at that time?
Like making a living from theircreativity, or was that totally
foreign?
I mean just a dream of yours?
Speaker 2 (06:18):
It was just a dream.
Yeah, you know, not really, Ireally didn't.
Back then it was a littleharder, you know, we couldn't
just go online and look up anartist.
Yeah, sure, you had to doeverything very organically and
so, yeah, I didn't know anyone,so I was just on my own going
(06:38):
for it.
So a couple of years later Iwent into.
I figured, well, I'm just goingto go out of state, because in
California that's where I livedwas very expensive to go to
school and I thought, well, I'mgoing to just try something
different.
So I applied at this academy inYork, pennsylvania.
I got in, moved there, knew nota soul, all the way across the
(07:00):
country too.
Oh my God, all the way acrossthe country got to experience
snow, which I didn't like at all, but um, it was.
It was so much fun, it was justsuch a blessing that that
school but here's another doorthat closed after one year in
that school, um, they closeddown because, of funding or
whatever.
So here I am going, you knowwhat you know.
(07:23):
So I tried to stay in the placewhere I was staying and the
landlord said, no, you can stayhere, and anyway I ended up
going back out to california.
And then, um, shortly after Ihad met my husband my first
husband in art school, and gotmarried, had a little girl, and
(07:43):
from there it was like I can'tgo back to school because I have
family and I would do all kindsof art just to keep doing it,
because I couldn't get a job, Ididn't have a certificate right
so I thought you know what I'mworking at this restaurant.
Maybe they need a new menu ormaybe they need, um, some
advertising then.
(08:04):
So that's what I would do foryears.
I would have like a regular joband then I would do all kinds
of art graphics for them and tokeep the, the river, flowing
right the river flowing exactlyand I don't know if you remember
, but do you remember press type?
Speaker 1 (08:21):
because we didn't have.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
So press type was where we didn't have the
computer so we had to handeither hand letter things or
press type was where thesesheets of letters and we placed
it on whatever you were workingon and then you press the type
on.
So that's what we use for likeheadlines and stuff.
So this is we're talking.
(08:45):
yeah, way back in the day backin the day, back in the day you
know where'd that come from,Anyway, um, so yeah, that's what
I did for years and years andyears.
And then finally I got a job atPalm Springs life magazine and
it was $5 an hour.
I was excited.
I was like I don't care, I needto get in here, I'm we'll sweep
(09:07):
the floors, I don't care.
And um, I started off as aproduction artist and then went
to designing in one month andthat was just.
I was so excited and I figuredat that point, matt, I figured
in my life, since I didn't getmy certificate, I didn't get to
finish college, I didn't get todo the whole school thing.
(09:29):
My experience with whatever Idid in art, for whomever I
worked for, I was a sponge.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
I thought this is my school.
This is now my education.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
And so I was a little sponge and everything I did.
I was a little sponge andeverything I did I was just like
, okay, remember this, learnthis, ask questions.
So I never take for granted allthe crazy stuff I did because,
well, I learned a lot.
I mean, I worked for silkscreening companies and I hand
painted political signs forpeople on big pieces of wood.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Anything you could get color on right.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Anything I could get my hands on and I mean obviously
, if it was weird I wouldn't doit.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
but yeah, yeah, sure.
Now, when did you come to theLord, Debbie, and when did you
ever begin to sense like thiscreative gift is from him?
Or was this kind of a lot ofpeople, like I did, a lot of
people kind of live in thesesilos of my art life over here,
spiritual life over here?
So what was that, that part ofyour journey, like?
Speaker 2 (10:28):
well, I came to the Lord when I was 11.
I went to a church camp and umaccepted the board there.
It was amazing.
It was just a really beautifulexperience and I was deeply
involved in my church andeverything.
I was up until about maybe 14,15 in high school.
(10:48):
Now, of course, the Lord neverleaves you.
He was always with me and Ialways felt his presence in the
Holy Spirit.
But I went off and did dumbthings for a while, but I always
always felt that God was partof my art world.
I never let that go.
(11:09):
I never felt like, oh, I'm socool, I'm an artist.
I was just like no, I'm sograteful.
You know, this is God's gift.
This is God doing this.
This is not me.
I never wanted to take you know, because people get real
excited.
They're like, oh, you're Debbie.
And oh, you know, becausepeople get real excited.
They're like, oh, you're Debbie, and you know you did this.
I'm like thank you, but I meanit's really the Lord.
(11:30):
He's just gifted me and I feelso blessed because of that.
So I've always felt that, um,even though it was kind of a
little growing up and doingcrazy things, but you know, God
was always with me.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
We all have those seasons, right.
We go off the rail and comeback.
Yeah, he's always there.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Oh, yeah, drawing us back.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
You know I've talked to so many people, debbie, who
you know, we we had these dreamsof being an artist as a kid,
even as a young person, maybe incollege.
Life happens right Get married,have a baby, got jobs.
You're still doing a little bitof creativity on the side.
But when at your life did youstart to realize if I don't do
(12:12):
more creativity like I'm gonna,I'm gonna die over here.
I gotta, I gotta really beginto do more of that, because I
think all of us come to thatplace, uh, in our life, maybe in
middle age or as we, as we getolder, that well, I've lived all
these years without this.
I can't do that anymore.
I've got.
I've got to really give thisthe attention that it deserves.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
I think once I moved to Tucson that's when it really
happened.
Um, I'm single and started mylife over and I thought you know
, deb, why are you wishy-washywith this?
You need to really need toreally focus.
This is a gift that god gaveyou and you need to focus and do
(12:55):
something with it, not just la,la, la, whatever.
Um, now, the graphic designpart when I was doing that over
the years was very good.
Um, I had my own company for awhile, worked for an advertising
agency as well as Palm SpringsLight Magazine, and I started to
get carpal tunnel and terriblepain in my back when I was
(13:17):
because I'd be hours and hoursand hours on the computer.
So my switch came when I visitedmy dad and I hadn't seen him in
a very long time.
But he was a painter and hepainted with in oils and they
were just gorgeous and I waslike, wow, all righty.
So he inspired me and I startedpainting and I hated everything
(13:38):
I did no perfectionism there,right.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
No perfection, none at all well.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
All I saw was cartoons.
I'm like, oh, what is this, youknow?
And finally, with your help andthe Lord's help, it's like, deb
, you're a cartoonist, it's okay.
So, if you need that crazy funthing to show and shine through
your work, then let it be.
Don't try to be somebody else,so um just to pause on that.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Were you were you, were you thinking that, oh,
cartooning is not real art?
Like this is the real art andthis is just fun, like what?
Speaker 2 (14:14):
was going through your mind.
Yeah, I guess I was.
Isn't that funny?
I think also, society in a waythinks that they kind of do.
I mean there are some artiststhat do have pieces that are,
you know, cartoonish or whatever, I mean you know, famous of
course, but I think I don't know.
(14:35):
It was just so different.
I think I was just looking at somuch different kinds of fine
art that it just it stumbled mefor a bit so yeah I did find
some common ground, though, as Ilooked at folk art, because
folk art was just fun andcolorful, and so my combination
with a little bit of that folkart and then my cartooning and
(14:57):
the illustration, it just, itjust made its own.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
I made my own pudding , yeah yeah, absolutely well, I
think that's one of thebeautiful things about being an
artist when you finally startaccepting, hey, this uniqueness
that I think is so weird and itdoesn't fit.
This is actually god's secretsauce in my creative life, right
?
So?
Speaker 2 (15:16):
it really is, and I think a lot of artists feel that
way.
You know, having talked todifferent artists, um, through
my bed and breakfast, you knowpeople tend to artists
especially like, oh, you know,I'm not good enough, or you know
, what do you think I don't know?
And I'm like, hey, this is,this is great.
You know, I mean, just keepgoing, keep working at it.
(15:37):
I think it's beautiful.
And, um, also, I was, um an artinstruction art instructor for
high school for a year, and Iwant to tell you that that was a
wonderful job because it wasfor a charter school.
So half the students were goingto like theater and sports and
(16:01):
they needed more time to do that, and then part of the time
they'd be on campus and thenpart-time was online.
This is when online classes werestarting okay the other half
were students that were kickedout of public school, so I had a
real interesting group yeah,sure now the kids that were
little troublemakers.
(16:22):
I love them.
I love them so much.
They were just pleading forattention in their own silly way
.
You know, they didn't know sothrough art, that was our
communication and they'd getreal upset or they'd just flip
out and I go okay, you know,like it's okay, calm down, and
I'd take each one and I juststart talking to them about
(16:44):
every.
Every artist in the whole worldstarted off with what you have
in front of you, which is ablank canvas.
Michelangelo and Da Vinci, theydidn't start off with some
fancy thing.
They all started with a blankcanvas.
So we start at the beginning,we move slowly.
There's going to be layers,it's going to take time, but you
know what.
(17:04):
You can do.
This, this is easy.
So I break it down and make itreal simple for them.
And again, I get this well, I'mnot good enough or I can't do
that, and I'm like, sure you can, sure you can.
It's okay, just take the timewe can do this.
And at the end, oh, I had onegirl.
She was great.
(17:25):
She would do little cartoons onthe side, like a little notepad
, right.
So one day she shows that theywere supposed to bring in their
finished piece and we put it upon the top board and they
critique it.
So she was going well, I didn'tmind in the car this morning,
(17:46):
like we're supposed to beimpressed with that right, right
, right, and I was like I gaveher an f because it was bad.
She was so astounded she waslike how dare you, you know.
So I pulled her aside after theclass and I said you know, I
gave you an f.
She says yeah.
She says yeah because youdidn't put any effort into it,
(18:09):
honey he says but you know what?
you are so good, I've seen yourwork and I know you can do this.
You don't need to just randomlydo this in the car.
I mean, you're great, you're anexcellent artist, right, and so
I really, really would love tosee something fabulous back of
(18:29):
you for the next assignment.
From then on.
She's a rock star wow yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
I was just going to say, as you're saying all this
to what you're saying to thekids, I'm just hearing the Lord
say yep, that's what I did,that's what I said to Debbie
early on, that's how I led you.
It's like that's how the Lordsay yep, that's what I did,
that's what I said to Debbieearly on, that's how I led you.
It's like it's like that's howthe Lord led you.
Right, these, these littleinvitations.
I know this doesn't make senseright now.
I know you feel inadequate.
I know you feel unprepared forthis.
(19:00):
I know this isn't working outexactly the way you thought it
was going to work out, but trustme, right, just keep
participating in the process.
I mean, do you see that I guessthe same kind of thing in your
life?
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Absolutely, I mean that was a total God thing,
because I had never been ateacher before and I don't have
teaching credentials, so I hadto have another teacher in the
room with me and so I just gotup in front of the class and
just start talking andeverything just was natural.
It was like God really giftedme with that and, yes, it was
(19:33):
almost like again like a lessonfor me too.
It was like God was speakingthrough me to the kids, but he
was also filling me so much.
It was really a beautiful thing, and I actually wouldn't mind
doing that again, whether it bejust private lessons or
something yeah, yeah, so youmentioned I guess nowadays
(19:55):
you've got the bed and breakfast.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
What does your art life look like right now?
You're selling your work.
Are you what?
What does all that look like?
Are you teaching at all?
Speaker 2 (20:03):
and so, um, I started your.
Well, actually, I first saw you, I think it was through
Facebook.
It was like a free class for acouple of days and I did that.
I thought, oh, this was, it waswonderful, I just fell in love
with it.
But it wasn't time for me, Iwasn't ready to really dive deep
into that.
So I think another year went byand you did the bootcamp.
(20:29):
Yeah, the cash flow bootcamp andthat one, that one I really
connected with because I'm likeI need to make some money doing
this.
So when I saw that I wentthrough I was like, oh my
goodness, there was one partwhere you said something about
propel.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
Like you know, propelling.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
That's the marketing system.
We teach yeah, sure, yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
And I drove.
I got in my car that day and Iwas driving to the store and I
looked up in the sky and therewas this cloud in the shape of
an airplane.
Wow, it's amazing, but anyway,so that got me started.
That's when I joined thementoring group, and it's just,
matt.
It's just made such adifference in how I think about
my art and how I do it.
So, and what difference thedifference is is that I lean
(21:21):
into the Lord more, because allmy life I was what?
Speaker 1 (21:25):
did it look like before and it goes.
Nobody ever says I was neverleaning into the Lord, I was
just a selfish striver, like Ithink a lot of people think that
they were.
But maybe what is different nowthan what you were doing, like,
draw that distinction forpeople so they can maybe
understand.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
I think then I knew that God had gifted me, but I
think, because it just came soeasily that what you know, just
my talent and everything, that Ididn't really think much about
it like, oh god, gift me.
Okay, here we go where, when Ihad to just start over with
everything and I wanted to movefurther with my art.
(22:03):
You know, honestly, here it is,it's fine art, going from
graphic design to fine art.
That really was such a shift Imean because graphic design as
you know, you were a graphicdesigner people tell you what to
do and you go okay and you makeit look all beautiful.
Where fine art?
You're like giving out yoursoul and your heart and your
(22:24):
spirit and and then, if someonedoesn't like it, you're like you
just crushed me right now.
So that was the difference.
I was trying to, uh, portraywhat I was thinking.
And it was just.
It was just such a differentelement to be in.
I just struggled with it.
(22:46):
Yeah, and that's when I leanedinto the Lord.
I was like, okay, what do youwant me to do?
Because you know, I was goingthrough the I hate my art thing.
And then I was going through,it looks, everything looks like
a cartoon, or I'm not goodenough, or how do I get in the
gallery?
I mean, there were just so manyquestions, so many, so much to
learn, yeah.
And so I would just everymorning I would just say thank
(23:11):
you, lord, for just blessing mewith everything you've given me.
You know my heart.
Please, just what do you wantme to do?
And that's when, you know know,I found your classes and I
started moving into that.
So, basically, what hashappened since then?
It's very exciting.
Um, I've been in several showssince then.
(23:35):
One of them I had guests whostayed here and they have an art
gallery in Scottsdale.
Oh wow, Big art market, yes, andso they were like your stuff is
really good.
And so they're like would youlike to be in one of our shows?
And I'm like yes, so that wasreal exciting and it's just like
things are just, things justhappen.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
You know things people see them.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
I go to Borrego springs a lot.
It's a beautiful place incalifornia.
It's in the anza brego uh statepark and it's a little tiny
town but it's very art filled.
And I met a lady there.
I purposely sought her outbecause I've loved her store.
It was mid-century modern.
I'm like I want to be in herstore.
So I sought her out and I drewspecifically these animals in a
(24:24):
mid-century modern style, thesedesert animals, and I presented
them to her and she's like, oh,these are great.
So then she invited me to aChristmas show and then she said
would you like to have yourwork in my shop full time?
I said yes.
And she invited me to have asolo show.
Then, a year later, she invitedme to have a solo show.
Then, a year later, she invitedme to be in another solo show.
(24:45):
And now I'm in another show.
It's a?
Um with two other artists atthis beautiful uh hotel.
It's mid-century modern hotelthere, but anyway, um, it's like
god has steered me to the rightpeople for the you know, to
communicate with them, and umand that's and I always kind of
keep my eyes open and my feelersopen.
(25:06):
It's like, yeah, that's that.
That place looks like that.
My art would fit in there Imean why would I go to a gallery
that does landscapes?
Speaker 1 (25:14):
I don't do landscapes , so you have to find where your
niche is.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
So yeah, I just love that.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
I was just going to say.
I think that's one of thethings I love most about
watching people in the mentoringprogram.
You know, kind of get thisrealization that I got.
I mean, that was my story aswell, trying to do my art all
those years by myself and thenbeginning to understand how the
kingdom of God works and thatwe've already been given
everything we need, that all theresources and relationships and
(25:41):
opportunities are already outthere for us, that we've just
got to, like you're saying, keepour eyes open, ears to the Lord
.
You know expectation in ourheart, all of that, and as we
walk, he begins to intersect ourpath and I think when you, it's
just so powerful.
That's why I never get tired ofdoing what I do right, because I
just love seeing when you bringthe practical knowledge of what
(26:04):
people need.
You know, because there's a lotof stuff right, you got to know
how to run an art business anddevelop voice, all that.
But when you combine it with akingdom, it's like there is this
quote unquote magical sort ofcombustion that happens where
all of a sudden it may seem likeyou've been struggling for
years and all of a sudden, likeyou said, things just kind of
flow.
Things just like opportunities,start coming out of nowhere and
(26:25):
you're like, did God just getin a good mood?
And you're like, no, that's howthe kingdom works.
Like you begin to get into theflow of what God's had for you
the whole time.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
I mean, that's just so good.
It's true, it's trueno-transcript phone and she's
(27:06):
like oh, we have a space here,would you like?
And it was like the firstbuilding right in front.
She says we have a space here,would you like to to be there?
Speaker 1 (27:14):
yes, thank you very much I joined the co-op.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
I've worked there for two years, but during that time
the people I met they werediscussing opening up a new
gallery in Tubac.
Tubac is this great little artcolony in southern Arizona and
you know I want to be on that.
I mean, it was so weird.
I was just like, oh, okay, Iwant to do that.
Like I didn't even think aboutit really.
It was just like, yes, yes, Iwant to do this.
(27:39):
So I invested some money in it,but drive down the two back.
Um, I did their logo, I did allyou know their advertising etc.
But, um, eventually I left.
It was just a lot to run thebed and breakfast and do my art
and run the gallery, but theexperience, you know, that's the
thing it's like how often doessomeone say would you like to be
co-owner of the art gallery?
(28:00):
It's like, when does this happen?
So I'm like, yes, I want to dothat.
So the experience being on theother side selling art, it was
really wonderful.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
How are you deciding now?
I guess, because you've hadsuch a varied past and lots and
lots of different experiences, Iguess what are the?
What are the, the signposts, ifyou will, the guardrails in
your life right now that arethat you're using, maybe the
filter that you're using to sayyes to these things, no to these
things right now?
Like, how are you deciding?
(28:33):
Because you're a talentedperson, right, you're a
go-getter, obviously you coulddo anything you wanted to do,
right.
So what?
How is the Lord leading you tochoose the right things for this
season in your life?
And even if that means, likeyou just said, with the art
gallery, like that's a no forright now, that season is over.
How is that for you right now?
Speaker 2 (28:55):
That's a very interesting question.
The bed and breakfast isactually not doing that well,
Probably economy.
Well, of course, in the summerhere in Arizona nobody wants to
come here.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
I plead and beg I know it's not that bad really
and they're like yeah right, 112degrees, but it's a dry heat
right.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
You know it's a dry heat, but this year it's been
actually really humid but,anyway.
So I had.
This is interesting because oneof my bathrooms in on the guest
side of my house, um, uh, theplumbing one of the pipes broke,
so right now I have this roomin a bathroom that's completely
(29:37):
demolished.
They had to come in and demo itand tear the walls down, so I
had to shut down two rooms onthat side, so I have one room
open, plus it's dead, and so I'mlike, hmm, what is happening
here?
You know Well.
Number one it gives me moretime to do my art.
Number two it gives me moretime to think about where do I
(29:58):
want to go with my art.
I think, really, matt, I don'tknow if you agree with me, but
this is a season, I think, forall artists, because it is a
little on the slow side here andthere, you know, just with
things going on, and so it doesgive you time to think rather
than panic and go oh my gosh.
You know, I think it's justlike, okay, well, maybe God just
wants you to step back and lookand think about well, what do
you really want to do now?
(30:19):
Where?
Speaker 1 (30:19):
do you?
Speaker 2 (30:19):
want to go.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
No, I totally agree, cause even this last, you know,
we moved to Texas.
This is I can't believe thisJuly is when we're recording
this and it is now starting ourfourth year here in Texas, which
seems crazy to me, but it'slike these last two and a half
years for us.
I mean, anytime you movelocations like that, it's a big,
you know, transition orwhatever.
(30:41):
And we felt some of that, likethings online or not what they
were during COVID, and thingsare changing and you're just
trying to get your your footing.
But I think, same thing withyou and with me.
It's like if you can trust theLord in the middle of the
seasons that are what seemedlike harvest time, and you can
trust him in the seasons thatthat seemed like winter time,
(31:02):
he's, he's your provider, nomatter what, right, he's leading
guidance you no matter what.
And just because you have spacein the middle of a season where
normally maybe you were justkind of like busy as you could
be and couldn't even have timeto breathe, you know, neither
one of those is more the lordthan the other.
He's, he's not more faithful toprovide for you in one season
(31:22):
than he is the other, and Ithink that, to me, is the
challenge for all of us that arematuring in the Lord and
maturing as artists and asbusiness people, that when you
can get that whole idea that hisprovision is solid, his love
for me is solid.
Even though the winds may blowand the you know, jesus said
it'll rain on the just and theunjust right, he is the constant
(31:46):
in the middle and I'm just likeyou.
You said you had a little moretime for your art, like in the
last two and a half years.
I started this whole new bodyof work which is selling like
hotcakes, and I'm in some newgalleries and I'm doing some
things I never thought I'd bedoing creatively and would have
never.
I would have never had spacefor it had I just continued to
push on and try to makesomething happen, even when
(32:08):
things weren't in that flow thatwe've talked about.
So I totally resonate with whatyou're saying there.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
Yeah, yeah.
So it's a little open right now.
I'm still going through alittle bit of thinking about it,
praying about it, because I doa lot of different things.
My hands are all over.
I did this hand-painted handbag, so I started that and I just I
don't know.
I like having a lot of projectsgoing.
(32:36):
Yeah, sure, but the thing is,which projects really should I
be doing?
So I think that's my big prayernow is lord.
Okay, I've got like five or sixthings going.
Which ones should I reallyfocus on, or should I maybe try
something different?
So I'm, I'm, I'm a little bitin that season of and what I had
said before, you know, teachingart to some students.
(32:58):
I, that has really been on mymind and I've been praying about
that one.
That would just be so joyful tome.
I would love to do that, but,um, yeah, so I just I just keep
doing um, just seeking outdifferent avenues and different
stores, different um, because Idon't necessarily um, my work
isn't really necessarily, um,necessarily my work isn't really
(33:20):
necessarily good for, like, biggalleries.
Mine is.
It's just fun stuff, you know.
So there's some great greatboutiques and stores that have
local artists in them, and sothat's kind of what I'm focusing
on is is is doing that andsupporting local, local places,
local artists.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Well, I'm just convinced, and I know you are
too.
We've just listened to yourlife story and all this.
It's like God is going to blessus if we'll keep our hearts
close to him and we'll keep ourear to what he's saying, and I
think our job is to, not to.
We always want to figure outhow God's going to bless us.
Right?
I want to do the thing thatGod's going to bless, and God's
like.
My promise is to bless you.
(33:59):
You just need to go, do whatI've created you to do, right,
I'll be the one that chooseswhere the fruit's going to come,
where the opportunity is goingto come.
You just got to show upfaithful in the studio and be
who God's called you to be everyday, and I I don't know, I
think, the more you can, all ofus can say, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah
, man, yeah, I get that.
Yeah, you say you get it untilthe well runs dry, until the
(34:20):
bathroom breaks, until theeconomy slows down and all of
that, and then it's like yousaid, you really- and get into
college, get a job.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
I mean.
So it's funny, because I'm soused to those things happening,
like some people would justcompletely lose their minds, and
I'm kind of like, oh okay, well, let's see what next.
I mean mean not like I wasn'tupset, I was.
But um, again, you know, Ithink, I really think god does.
He has these things happen inyour life.
You know it's like the refiningfire.
Speaker 1 (34:49):
You know he's refining us all the time you
know, and I'm like I guess Ineeded another layer to be
refined, right lord no,absolutely, absolutely, yeah,
well, and it birthed thisflexible trust in us that it's.
You know who was it?
I mean, I don't know who saidthis like expectancy is uh, or
expectation is like it's gottahappen this way, right.
(35:11):
If it doesn't happen that way,I'm gonna be disappointed.
But like expectancy is thisidea that I don't know what's
gonna happen, but I knowsomething good is gonna happen
and I know God's in control ofit and if I can just keep my
heart and mind in that place,everything's going to be good.
Debbie, I just wonder, as peopleare listening today and they're
(35:34):
thinking I'm in one of thoseseasons that doesn't make sense.
I'm in one of those seasonsmaybe they've gone through a
divorce, maybe their kids havejust moved away, or maybe
they've lost a child, or maybejust their art is just kind of
seeming in a funky place rightnow.
They just can't see anythingthat looks like God in the
middle of it.
During one of those sort ofin-between seasons that you've
(35:55):
walked through so many of.
What would you say to encouragethem today?
Speaker 2 (36:00):
I say well, leaning into the Lord, and what I mean
by that is dig deep intoscripture.
I always feel like in themorning, you know, when I do my
scripture reading, sometimes Idon't have a plan, I just kind
of open it up and go startreading.
But you know, god is.
He's very well aware of whatwe're going through and he will
(36:23):
lead us to the perfect versesthat we need at that time.
He does for me and it's likewow, I mean because we're
thinking one thing and we lookat the scripture and we're like,
oh, wow, I wasn't even thinkingthat, but that totally makes
sense, you know.
And that's what?
Wow, I wasn't even thinkingthat, but that totally makes
sense, you know.
And that's what I do.
(36:44):
I guess there's going to be hardtimes.
There's going to be, you know,calling your friends and going,
ah, you know, and all that stuff, which is fine.
But in the long run it justcomes down to trusting and
having faith and being patient.
You know it does take patience,especially, you know, the does
take patience I especially, youknow, the young people nowadays
I feel so bad.
They want everything right nowyou know, like with their phones
(37:07):
.
it's like I want this Amazon.
Here we go, boom.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
That's right here tomorrow Right.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
I go.
Life isn't like that sometimes,you know if you've got to just
but just think of it.
This is a growing thing.
This is this is a time when Godwants you to learn something
about yourself, and when youopen up to that, what's
happening right now?
Why is this happening?
What do you want me to learnabout me?
(37:34):
What's happening in me?
Maybe there's a lesson, Maybethere's something I've been
holding back.
Maybe there's this thing that'sjust inside me that needs to go
away.
So, I think, ask thosequestions to God and he'll
reveal them.
And those are those.
I think that's why he gives usthose times.
I must have had a lot ofproblems, Ted, a lot of those
(37:56):
times.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
Hey, he's as the old song says, he's still working on
me, right?
I mean, he's still working onme.
We've all got stuff, because Ithink God, God has so much, so
many good things for us, but heknows so many good things unless
our heart is healed.
Right that we were not able towalk in the things that he's got
for us, and so he does.
He walks us through these,these seasons of pause and just
(38:20):
to take a deep breath and lethim refine our hearts and
prepare us for the next thing.
Speaker 2 (38:24):
So and find a nice place that you, that you can
love, like go out in the desertand take a deep breath and just
and just just be with God.
Speaker 1 (38:35):
That's right, that's right.
Well, debbie, this has been sogreat to just connect again and
get to share your story with allour listeners and viewers.
I know that folks are going towant to connect with you, so
where is the best place onlinethat they can see your work and
maybe follow you on social mediaor what?
Speaker 2 (38:51):
I have a website it's DebbieGallaraniArtcom.
Debbiegallaraniartcom andGallarani's G-A-L-L-E-R-A-N-I
like a gallery.
And then my Instagram isDebbieArtWorld.
I don't know why it'sDebbieArtWorld, but my kids did
(39:12):
that for me.
Speaker 1 (39:14):
That's what it is.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
It is what it is DebbieArtWorld on Instagram, and
then I have a Facebook page.
It's the Artistic World ofDebbie Gallerani, and I think
those are the main ones.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (39:28):
Nice, nice, well, good, well, listen again.
What a joy.
Thank you for sharing yourstory, thanks for being on, and
I know that tons of people havebeen so inspired by all that
God's done in your life, sothanks for being on today.
Speaker 2 (39:40):
Oh, thank you so much , Matt it was fun.
Speaker 1 (39:43):
Hey, my friend, before you go, make sure that
you're signed up for theThriving Christian Artist Weekly
.
It's my free newsletter, fullof spiritual encouragement,
creative inspiration andpractical tips to help you
thrive in everything that God'scalled you to do as an artist in
his kingdom.
Every issue is absolutely freeand it includes the latest
podcast episode, featured artistspotlights, a worship song of
(40:04):
the week and again, tons of tipsand encouragement and
inspiration for you To keep youinspired and encouraged, and
everything that God's got foryou as an artist in the kingdom.
You can click the link righthere in the show notes to join
us, and it's a great way to stayconnected.
Alright, love you Bye.
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