Debbie Mackinnon

Contemporary Landscape Painting & Collage

Debbie Mackinnon is an Australian artist whose work is grounded in drawing, close observation and an experimental approach to mixed media. Whether working with flowers, still life or landscape, she is interested in capturing subjects as they change over time rather than describing a single, fixed moment.

Drawing is fundamental to Debbie's practice. She works directly from plants gathered from gardens, markets and the landscape, responding to their movement, colour and fleeting nature. Her floral paintings often begin with energetic observational drawings before developing more intuitively through layers of acrylic paint, watercolour, monoprinting and collage. Combining direct observation with memory and abstraction, her work celebrates the simple but transformative act of paying attention.

Born in England, Debbie studied Design and Illustration at Middlesex University in London. She spent two decades as an award-winning Art Director designing children’s books before returning to painting full-time after moving to Australia more than 30 years ago.

Debbie has presented numerous solo exhibitions and has been shortlisted for many national art prizes, including the North Sydney Art Prize, Gosford Art Prize, Moran Portrait Prize, Mosman Art Prize and Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing. She won the Art in the Open Prize in 2018. Her work is held in private collections throughout Australia and internationally. Alongside her studio practice, she teaches workshops, international retreats and online courses.