Artist Statement

My love of beautiful landscapes, and what it feels like to be in beautiful landscapes, is the subject of my paintings. In them I want the viewer to see a real place represented, and also to enjoy the colours, textures, marks and idiosyncrasies of the paint on the canvas. Making the paintings involves experiencing a place, intense looking, drawing, imagining, interpretation, painting carefully and sometimes wildly letting go with paintbrush and palette knife. The varied qualities of the paint, the sensory power of the colour, the evidence of the painting process itself are all features which exist in balance with the representational aspect of the work.

Every painting starts with observational drawing or painting, in pencil, charcoal, watercolour or oil sketches. Sitting in a field or on a riverbank I become engrossed in the process as I try to understand everything around me through looking, measuring, mark making and composing a living landscape into a piece of art. One of the most enjoyable moments is drawing figures as they walk by. The figures tell the story that we are in that landscape. In my studio in Derby I make larger scale paintings, always starting with the drawings I have done on site.

I have lived in Derbyshire for most of my life, and now live near Derby. In the 1980s I studied Fine Art at Middlesex University and then the West of England Art School (now part of Bristol University) where I specialised in painting. In 2005 I completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Fine Art at Derby University. I continue to learn from artists past and present, by studying their work, going on courses and visiting exhibitions.

Exhibitions

2020

Tarpey Gallery: Winter Exhibition

Banks Mill Studios: Virtual Open Studios

Royal Derby Hospital: Air Arts “Illuminate” Exhibition

Derby Enterprise Centre

Harley Gallery: Open Exhibition

2019

Tarpey Gallery: Winter Exhibition

Banks Mill Studios: Open Studios

Pitch Blue Creative: Summer and Winter Exhibitions

Derby Enterprise Centre

2018

Banks Mill Studios: Open Studios

Wirksworth Festival

The Old Lockup Gallery: Secret Postcard Show

Tarpey Gallery: “Light, Shade and Colour” Solo Exhibition

Artcore Derby: Art Auction

2017

Derbyshire Life and Countryide: “Colourful Emotions” feature article on my paintings

Tarpey Gallery: Midlands Open Exhibition.

Gallery Top: Summer Exhibition

Royal Derby Hospital – Air Arts TEN Exhibition celebrating ten years of Arts at the hospital.

Derbyshire Life and Countryside: Derbyshire Landscape Painter of the Year Competition Shortlisted

Old Station Gallery: Winter Exhibition

2016

The Old Station Gallery: Winter Exhibition

Artcore: Relaunch

The Old Station Gallery: Open Exhibition

Deda, Derby Dance Centre: “Loving Local Landscapes” Solo Exhibition

The Old Station Gallery: Solo Exhibition “Deb Allitt Landscapes”

2015

The Old Station Gallery: Open Exhibition First Prize Winner

The Old Station Gallery: This Rural Life

Isabella Peatfield Memorial Fund Auction

Deb Allitt’s paintings are in permanent collections including Royal Derby Hospital and local businesses, and private collections in the UK and America.