Painting The Year

In 2022 Deborah Last painted the Landscape en plein air (outside) every day for a year, no matter what; in the sunshine, in the back of her car hiding from the wind, or in an angling pod to keep dry in the rain. ’Painting The Year’ book accompanies the exhibition held at the Studio Kind, Braunton in Devon showing all 365 paintings from the project, demonstrating the changing seasons, a love for Northern Devon, and the endurance of her craft. This book is a visual record of the journey that was a year of daily painting, showing many of the paintings in full colour and some of the breathtaking locations.  Deborah works directly from life and from memory to create light-filled work relating to the landscape and the connections we make with it as humans. Her contemporary style, expressive colour and intriguing brush strokes blend with a traditional form of art to create unique and beautiful paintings. In 2020 she graduated with an MA in Contemporary Art Practice from Plymouth University and has been long-listed for the Jackson’s Painting Prize, in 2021 and 2022. She was Artist in residence at the National Trust’s Bucks Mills Artist Cabin in August 2022 and the inaugural visual artist in residence for Appledore Book Festival in September 2022. She has been featured in Devon Life Magazine and on BBC Spotlight and is a regular guest on BBC Radio Devon.