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Debbie Baxter's Countryfile
12 February 2020
4walls caught up with Countryfile artist Debbie Baxter to learn more about her passion for painting trees and to understand the role she believes they play in our day-to-day lives.
Growing up in a cottage in Hertfordshire, encompassed by trees and woodland that extended for miles, Debbie always had an affinity for the landscape around her. Stating that she would often get lost amongst the woodland for hours, the beauty of her surroundings and her artistic upbringing went hand in hand.
As a child Debbie lived with her mother, who just so happened to be the successful wildlife artist Daphne Baxter, and would often return home from school to find her mother painting at her easel. This, alongside an incredibly supportive art department at the school she attended, spurred Debbie on in her artistic journey.
Debbie has travelled far and wide searching for unique trees, forests and woodlands that grasp her imagination. One of her most notable travels involved living in Indonesia as a trained nutritionist, educating communities about the effect of palm tree oil on health. Debbie stated: “It was fascinating to witness the full circle of how trees affect human health, with heart disease being the biggest killer in Indonesia”.
Debbie has recently had a solo exhibition at The Saffron Walden gallery titled ‘Into the Woods, A Celebration of Trees’ featuring pieces such as ‘Birch Snowland’ and ‘Wistmands Wood’. Here, Debbie also signed copies of her book, produced in collaboration with poet Gary Milsom.
With multiple opportunities in the pipeline, Debbie will also be doing some work for the International Tree Federation, which aims to understand more about our relationship with the environment and why we should be planting more trees.
We were hugely proud to hear that Debbie uses Larson-Juhl tray frames when framing her own work, stating that she loves the effect they have when she paints on wood panel and how smooth they are. Debbie also has a brilliant relationship with her local framer, which has come in handy when needing to utilise his space for framing larger pieces.
To see more of Debbie’s work, head over to her Instagram @ArtDKBaxter, or visit her website.
artdkbaxter.com
Growing up in a cottage in Hertfordshire, encompassed by trees and woodland that extended for miles, Debbie always had an affinity for the landscape around her. Stating that she would often get lost amongst the woodland for hours, the beauty of her surroundings and her artistic upbringing went hand in hand.
As a child Debbie lived with her mother, who just so happened to be the successful wildlife artist Daphne Baxter, and would often return home from school to find her mother painting at her easel. This, alongside an incredibly supportive art department at the school she attended, spurred Debbie on in her artistic journey.
Debbie has travelled far and wide searching for unique trees, forests and woodlands that grasp her imagination. One of her most notable travels involved living in Indonesia as a trained nutritionist, educating communities about the effect of palm tree oil on health. Debbie stated: “It was fascinating to witness the full circle of how trees affect human health, with heart disease being the biggest killer in Indonesia”.
Debbie has recently had a solo exhibition at The Saffron Walden gallery titled ‘Into the Woods, A Celebration of Trees’ featuring pieces such as ‘Birch Snowland’ and ‘Wistmands Wood’. Here, Debbie also signed copies of her book, produced in collaboration with poet Gary Milsom.
With multiple opportunities in the pipeline, Debbie will also be doing some work for the International Tree Federation, which aims to understand more about our relationship with the environment and why we should be planting more trees.
We were hugely proud to hear that Debbie uses Larson-Juhl tray frames when framing her own work, stating that she loves the effect they have when she paints on wood panel and how smooth they are. Debbie also has a brilliant relationship with her local framer, which has come in handy when needing to utilise his space for framing larger pieces.
To see more of Debbie’s work, head over to her Instagram @ArtDKBaxter, or visit her website.
artdkbaxter.com
