Artist
Sister Debra Freeman (1957-2013)Date made
n.d.Time Period
20th CenturyNotes
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Born in Cold Lake Alberta, Sister Debra Freeman spent her childhood years in Europe, Ontario and Quebec due to her father's service with the RCAF. The family then settled in B.C. and Freeman later graduated from St. Joseph's School of Nursing, Victoria in 1979. She then ministered as a registered nurse at Prince George Regional Hospital and Cowichan District Hospital, and after entering The Sisters of St. Ann, she nursed at Victoria Hospice.
Following clinical pastoral training, Sister Freeman served as Chaplain and Coordinator of Volunteers at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver on the palliative care unit, and was awarded a Certificate of Recognition from the nursing program at New Caledonia College. In 1997, she changed ministry paths and obtained a Master's Degree in Ministry and Spirituality from Regis College, Toronto and a Diploma in Spiritual Direction from Mercy Centre in California.
After these studies, Sister Freeman returned to minister at Queenswood Spirituality Centre in Victoria as Program Coordinator, Spiritual Director and Retreat Director. She also served her Community as a member of the Provincial Council. She then worked briefly with the Franciscan Poor Clares Community in Duncan, later returning to The Sisters of St. Ann in Victoria.
From her early years, Sister Freeman's creativity reportedly flourished through her art and while at St. Ann's Residence she gave herself increasingly to the ministry of art. The full extent of her artistic work is not currently known.
