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Deb Michell-Smith
Balancing Boyhood
Acrylic on canvas
Balancing Boyhood uses the see-saw as a central metaphor for the emotional and physical balancing act of growing up. In this work, the see-saw becomes more than playground equipment—it represents the push and pull of boyhood: between dependence and freedom, confidence and uncertainty, lightness and gravity. Balanced at the see-saw’s centre, the figure captures a moment of stillness that speaks to the uncertainty and quiet strength of growing identity. With soft colour and carefully layered lines and patterns, I’ve highlighted the fragility and complexity of this transitional moment. This painting reflects my ongoing interest in capturing the quiet, unspoken moments where strength is quietly tested and resilience begins to take root. Balancing Boyhood invites the viewer to pause in that moment of mid-air stillness, where everything could tip one way or the other.
Size: 69 × 61 cm
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About Deb Michell-Smith
Deb Michell-Smith is an emerging artist based in North West NSW, known for her expressive acrylic paintings that celebrate the beauty and resilience of regional Australian landscapes and communities. Raised in Narrabri, she holds a Bachelor of Visual Arts from the University of Southern Queensland. In 2024, Deb was a finalist in several major art prizes including National Emerging Art Prize and won both the Frost Over Barraba Art Show and the ABC Western Plains Prize. Her work featured in the “Work of Art” regional arts initiative, and she is in the stockrooms of Aspire Gallery Brisbane and Satch&Co Holbrook.
