Debbie has lived in Ngukurr community for a long time. However, she has only recently started painting. She began by assisting her husband, Luke Djalagarrarra, painting his bird sculptures, but then started painting canvas for herself.  

She loves playing with colour through dotting, allowing the colours to blend from a distance, but being distinctly visible up close. She paints mostly bush stories including billabongs, flowing rivers, bush flowers, lilies, Jaw Jaw and bush banana.