About Alabama Artist Deb Garst

Artist Profile

Deborah Rooks Garst ( known as Deb by her friends ) was born in Atlanta, Georgia and grew up in the community of Bluff Park on Shades Mountain near Birmingham , Alabama. After graduating from W.A. Berry High School  in 1972 and the University of Montevallo in 1976, she studied Art and Photography at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. Over the years she has also studied art and photography with nationally and internationally known artists including Carol Barnes, Miles Batt, Mary Todd Beam, Mary Ann Beckwith, Carrie Brown, Ernst Hass , Pat San Souci, Soon Bok Sellers, Michael Rivers, Cher Thompson, and Doug Walton. In 1999 she presented a 5 day art seminar at Central Alabama Community College on abstract techniques and collage. In 2004 she married Steve Garst and now resides in Blue Ridge , Alabama with Steve and her two furry art critics, Coqui, and Maui.
Deb, is a juried signature member of the International Society of Acrylic Painters awarded signature status in 2010, an award winning signature member of the International Society of Experimental Artists awarded signature status in 1999 and an award winning signature member of the Watercolor Society of Alabama, receiving a Patrons Award in 2017. She is also a juried member of the Georgia Watercolor Society, a juried member of the Southern Watercolor Society , member of  The Dixie Art Colony Foundation and a member of the Elmore County Art Guild. Deb and her husband were juried into the International Society of Acrylic Painters and awarded signature status, being the first husband and wife in the history of the organization to receive both of these honors at the same time.

Her work is in private and corporate collections nationally and internationally including the collections of Alabama Power Company Headquarters and Energen Corporation Headquarters.

Past Exhibitions Include

• ALABAMA:  Watercolor Society of Alabama 78th Annual National Show, Deb & Steve two person exhibit at the Jemison- Carnegie Heritage Hall Museum, Talladega; Alabama State University, Montgomery; Alabama Wildlife Federation at Lanark, Millbrook; Birmingham Public Library, Birmingham;  Columbiana Public Library, Columbiana;  Eastern Shore Art Center, Fairhope;  Gadsden Museum of Art, Gadsden; Hoover Public Library, Hoover; Huntsville Museum of Art, Huntsville; Jemison- Carnegie Heritage Hall Museum of Art, Talladega; Montgomery Museum of Art, Montgomery; Regions Bank, Birmingham and Montgomery; St Vincent's Hospital Gallery, Birmingham; Shelby County Hospital, Pelham; "The Club", Birmingham; University of Alabama Hospital Gallery, Birmingham; University of Alabama in Birmingham; Wiregrass Museum of Art, Dothan
• CALIFORNIA: Santa Cruz Art League, Santa Cruz

Past Awards

• 1990–1992: Birmingham Art Association Annual Juried Exhibit, Honorable Mention; Hoover Art Association, Best Overall Display of Artwork Award, and Honorable Mention Award; Mountain Brook Art Association, First Place Mixed Media;  Montgomery Art Guilds Annual Regions Bank Show, First Place Mixed Media
• 1993-1997: Shelby County Art Association, First Place Portraiture, First Place Photography, First Place Mixed Media, Second Place Photography (Two Years), Merchandise & Purchase Awards Watercolor and Photography (Three Years), Best Overall Display of Artwork (Two Years); Vestavia Hills Juried Art Show, Second Place Watercolor (Two Years), Third Place Watercolor (Two Years), Third Place Mixed Media (Two Years), Honorable Mention Award Watercolor, Honorable Mention Award Photography, Merchandise Award
• 1997-1998: Birmingham Public Library Art Show, Honorable Mention Award (Two Years)
• 1999: Montgomery Art Guild Montgomery Museum of Fine art Museum Show, First Place Award Mixed Media; National League of American Penwomen, Art Division First Place Mixed Media, Second Place Watercolor, Honorable Mention Award Watercolor; Society of Arts and Crafts, Montgomery, Second Place Watercolor
• 1999-2018: Elmore County Art Guild, First Place Watercolor (Two Years), First Place Mixed Media (Two Years), First Place Photography (Two Years), Second Place Mixed Media (Three Years), Second Place Photography (Three Years), Third Place Watercolor, Third Place Photography, Honorable Mention (Six Years)
• 2005-2006: Prattauga Art Guild, First Place Mixed Media, Second Place Watercolor (Two Years), Third Place Photography, Honorable Mention Award
• 2009: Dauphin Island Juried Art Show, Second Place Watercolor
• 2010: Dauphin Island Chamber of Commerce Art Festival in the Park, First Place / Award of Distinction; Alabama Wildlife Federation Flora and Fauna Juried Art Competition, Honorable Mention Award
• 2010-2015: Art in the Park Nature Festival Dauphin Island, Featured Artist 2012
• Daphne Jubilee Festival, Patron/Purchase Award
• 2019 Watercolor Society of Alabama 78th Annual National Exhibition, Merit Award