Whether painting representational or abstract, the common thread in my work comes from the physical process of painting. When I’m painting my role shifts between composer, conductor, conduit and technician. Often, it involves stopping and “listening” to the painting to understand what it needs to go. This results in a tangible tension, between intention and spontaneity, the planned and the unplanned. The slower dry of oil paint is conducive to my preferred process.
I’m inspired by the gesture of an expressive line, juxtaposed flat and volumetric shapes, and layered color. My paintings combine these visual elements to get at the essence of a subject or the spirit of a moment. I usually start with photos, then layer on personal experience, memories, or feelings to coax something new out of the process.
The best outcomes create a spark of shared recognition with the viewer. From this connection, the meaning in the picture is amplified through another filter of experience and perspective.
Artist’s Statement
Mad about Citrus (self-portrait), 24” x18”, Oil on canvas
Biography
Barb grew up in a large family in Burns, Oregon, and currently lives with her husband in Vancouver, Washington. Creativity has always been important to her whether through crafts and sewing as a kid, to writing and painting as an adult. She studied communications at Oregon State University where she stumbled upon art history. This interest led her to take evening art classes before enrolling and graduating with a BFA in painting from Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, Oregon. Post graduation, she painted part time while working in communications. Now, her passion for oil painting is a priority.
