Deb Hastings
Mixed Media
Creative and thrifty, I’ve spent my life finding the potential in the discarded. My philosophy is simple: a resourceful lifestyle exercises the creative muscles. This began at age five when, instead of buying a new toy wagon, my mother challenged me to build one. That single moment sparked a lifelong passion for upcycling.
Today, I transform thrifted leather and vintage cookie tins into renewed, functional art. While fast fashion dominates the modern market, I hunt for the enduring quality of secondhand leather to adjourn and give new life to sturdy purses and wallets. My earrings, punched from colorful cookie tins, rescue vibrant patterns from landfills to create lightweight, whimsical accessories.
Beyond my studio, I have been an Art Educator since 1988. After retiring from a long career as an elementary art teacher in Lee, NH, I now share my craft with all ages through libraries, local art shops, and continuing education programs. I also specialize in large-scale works, from vibrant murals to Artist-in-Residence programs that guide students in creating permanent school mosaics. This April, I am thrilled to be collaborating with the staff and students at the Horace Mitchell Primary School in beautiful Kittery, Maine.
Interested in becoming a guest artist? Learn all about it.