Debra Smith's fabric collages are like snippets of contemporary quilts. She recycles fabrics, such as the silk linings of antique Japanese kimonos used to make much of her current body of work. The silks are different shades of neutral and lend a quiet, contemplative mood to much of Debra's work. In some collages, Debra uses vibrant vintage fabric to contrast with the understated feel of the silk. Debra has a BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute, where she was a fiber major. She also studied at the Italian Academy of Fashion and Design in Florence and has an Associate Degree in Applied Science from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Since 1999, Debra's work has been shown in numerous exhibition spaces, such as Dolphin Gallery and Pearl Gallery in Kansas City and the Pencil Factory in Brooklyn, New York. In addition to making artwork, Debra owns Sakiori, a textile company based in Kansas City, which she established in 1993. She formerly worked for Asiatica, an internationally recognized clothing and accessory business, which specializes in the reconstruction of antique kimono fabrics into contemporary high-end garments.