Artist Biography
Debbie Mahaffey is a north east artist based in County Durham. The artist works from her studio with its origins in the 19th century. The studio was formerly a hay loft and workshop linked to her childhood home.
Debbie has a BA in Fine Art (hons) degree from the University of Sunderland. Her final show was selected from art schools across the North of England and exhibited as part of the Northern Graduates Exhibition at the Curwen Gallery, London. Since this time Debbie has exhibited throughout the UK and Scotland, worked on private commissions and is in collections throughout the North East.
As an artist, Debbie has always been intrigued by composition and how that affects the way we interact as a viewer. Strong, bold colour, clean lines, isolation, scale and quirky compositions are all characteristic of the artist’s work.
Living in County Durham, rural life is just a short walk away and with close family links to farming, inspiration is never far away. It was in April 2018, with spring turn out just around the corner, that the artist’s latest body of work was born. It embodies the essence of spring, new beginnings and a perfect place to start.
The artist can often been seen in the cow shed of a dairy farm spending time to gain the calves’ trust or rambling through the trees to capture those quiet moments of a small highland herd, all in the name of art. Getting to know the individual characters, spending time and gaining their trust is a significant part of her work. Drawing upon knowledge derived from her husband’s knowledge, this has enabled the artist to evolve and capture the spirit of these beautiful creatures.
Within the artist’s work there is no attempt to hide the bold yellow tags. It is important to the work, it identifies who the calf is, her parentage, breed, the farm in which she belongs and the country in which she resides. Nor does the artist attempt to unravel the tangled, thick, woolly coat of the highlands, but celebrates their unique look which enables the cow to survive harsh winters.
Artist Statement
There is nothing more fascinating or rewarding than painting or drawing, whatever the subject, as I believe it provides the ultimate challenge for the artist. Whether that be foreshortening, chiascuro or just getting the proportions right. What interests me is the relationship the form has with the space in which it is placed and I often experiment with the composition or the angle at which it is seen.
My current series, “Tagged” was inspired by a recent visit to Acorn Dairy, Archdeacon Newton in County Durham where my husband once worked as a dairy farmer and where my brother in law is still, to this day, the Herd manager.
Each cow has their own unique number, name and passport which is given to them from birth and remains with them throughout their lives. This is comparable to a National Insurance number that is unique and stays with you throughout your life. Much like their human counterparts, cows are tracked throughout their existence.
Spring turn out is one of the most important dates in the dairy farming calendar and one which we all enjoy. The cow is a fascinating animal – large in size, (Dairy Shorthorn cows average around 650kg) yet surprisingly light on their feet. This is most evident as, filled with excitement; they run and skip out into the spring air after a long winter. Cows are social animals and naturally form herds, much like humans form friendships. Within this series I hope to capture the character and personality of each individual animal, their inquisitive nature and personality through paint. Isolation, scale, simplicity and bold colours are all elements which have been successful and have enabled my work to evolve.
“Live life like someone left the gate open”