Born and raised in Somerset, England, Debbie Gillingham was the oldest child in a large family. While her parents were often busy taking care of their many children, Gillingham amused herself by drawing and painting with felt-tip pens and poster paints. Raised in a small village, she was also surrounded by horses and ponies, which she grew to love. As many little girls do, Gillingham dreamed of having her own pony and used drawing to fulfill that dream. She finally did get a horse of her own and after she earned a degree in Design and Clothing Manufacture from Somerset College of Art and Technology, she continued to combine her love of horses and art.

Gillingham moved to Newmarket in Suffolk, the heart of England’s flat racing industry, in 1990, where she worked as a stable hand during the day and painted her lively subjects at night. Her skills and knowledge developed quickly and she was often commissioned to paint horses. After several years in Newmarket, Gillingham moved to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and became involved in the rapidly growing horse racing world there. She continued to work with horses but also decided become a full-time artist. Gillingham’s popularity in England and in the UAE continues to flourish and her paintings can be found in many galleries and private collections around the world.