Born and raised in Denmark, Gitte Backhausen started her artistic journey at an early age; drawing, painting, sculpting and writing poetry, as well as attending classes in any creative discipline she could find. Although playing music was a big part of her childhood, visual expression soon became her main interest. In 2002, Backhausen completed a BA in graphic design. Upon completion, she developed an urge to break free from strict guidelines and conventional design. She began exploring a language of free expression, which launched her painting practice.

After the initial years of painting, exhibiting and selling her work in Denmark, Backhausen moved to Australia in 2005, where she continued her artistic career. Completing a BA in appliedsocial science in 2010 and working in mental health further developed her interest in psychology, which has since become an integral part of her artistic practice. Her artistic influences include the abstract expressionists, the dreamlike landscapes of the surrealists as well as contemporary artists predominantly working within the visual language of abstraction. Artists of significance to her practice include Cy Twombly, Elizabeth Cummings and Danish painters Asger Jorn and Per Kirkeby.

For the past twenty years, Backhausen has participated in regular solo and group exhibitions.Since 2016 her work has been selected for an array of art prizes, including Fisher’s Ghost ArtAward, Waverley Art Prize and Kangaroo Valley Art Prize. In 2018 Backhausen co-founded theaward-winning Fern Street Gallery in Gerringong. She runs workshops from her studio on theSouth Coast of NSW and around Australia. Her practice has expanded over the years to include printmaking, assemblage and works on paper, a reflection of her commitment to developing adeeper understanding and exploration of the complexities of creating.