Curator’s Choice: A Dual Exhibition with Carol Barber + William Bennett September 6-27, 2024 (Dové Gallery)
Second Street Gallery – Charlottesville, VA
As I continue to use paint as a medium, the digital art that I did early in my career still influences me. This manifests through experimentations with materials and layering of paint. My latest work involves painting directly on transparent substrates and suspending acrylic paint on top of clear acrylic gel. These methods present unique layering techniques all my own. September 6 – 27, 2024, I will be showing with the sculptor, William Bennet, in the Dové Gallery at Second Street Gallery. My new work will include paintings on clear Dura-lar film. The colors in the paintings represent memories of closely watching blown bubbles as a child. Paintings on wooden panels with colors representing carnival rides at night will also be in the exhibit. Looking forward to sharing “the carnival” paintings in the coming weeks!
“Blowing Bubbles”, acrylic on Dura-lar, 16″ x 16″, 2024.
Three decades ago I began my professional career as a digital artist. While working on the computer, I strived to make art as natural as possible by incorporating transparent layers of photographed texture and scanned marks. When I went to graduate school, I wanted to move away from digital tools and return to the process of mark making by hand that I experienced as a child. However, my thinking about working in digital layers never left me even after twenty years of painting in acrylics and mixed media. The reintroduction of transparent substrates with my gestural work reflects my experiences living in our modern times. Painting on clear acrylic sheets is a tangible expression of my thoughts of traversing between the digital and physical worlds. It also creates an artwork that continues to mix realities as it interacts with the environment through reflections, shadows and allowing surroundings to show through the piece.
Currently see this work at The Pink Gallery in Quirk Hotel, Richmond, VA.
This Fall feels like a reopening of the art world for me! It started with the annual fundraiser for Second Street Gallery on Sept. 2. Three of my small works sold quickly which made me happy! Not only to support the gallery but because I was debuting a new use of media in my paintings. This idea of painting on acrylic sheets is inspired by works I created digitally printing on acetate in graduate school more than twenty years ago!
Next on the calendar will be offering many works on paper that I started during the pandemic lock downs and have continued reworking. Sizes will range from 9" x 12" to 18" x 24" and the pieces will be affordably priced and not framed. This sale day will take place at Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard, Friday, September 16, 2022 from 12 - 9pm.
On September 17, Dwell Fine Art & Craft will have a grand opening of their new gallery in Hume, VA! I am pleased to have large works on canvas included. I am sure you will enjoy a drive out to Hume, VA while taking in the Fall scenery. It is gorgeous country! Contact owner, Hayley Sykes, when you are planning your trip. 5047 Leeds Manor Road, Hume, VA 22639
The month will close with a fund raiser auction in which all proceeds will benefit Housing2Home, a collaborative program between New City Arts and The Haven. Get tickets here. Many artists are participating whose work I love. I am excited to debut another new piece of mine that is painted on two pieces of clear acrylic without any backing panel. I am very curious of peoples' reactions!
As you are seeing the Fall foliage, don't forget to stop in to the Annie Gould Gallery in Gordonsville, VA. It is filled with handmade treasures and you will spot some of my works on paper in frames. Happy Fall!
"Ascension I, II, and III" (one has sold) 2021, 11” x 14 ”, oil and graphite on paper, contact Annie Gould Gallery for availability
"Set Adrift" at Dwell Fine Art & Craft
"Summer Adventure" at Dwell Fine Art & Craft
"Rising One More Time" at Dwell Fine Art & Craft
"Echoing Impressions II", acrylic on acrylic sheet and wood panel, 8" x 8" SOLD
"Day Dream", 18" x 24", acrylic on acrylic sheets, New City Arts auction
I curated from my flat file and added a few new paintings to make a collection of original art available with bright optimistic colors to bring happiness to your day! I believe these pieces would coordinate well together in a room or on a gallery wall. Check out the entire collection in my Etsy store. Thank you for your support!
I have begun teaching an abstract workshop for adults! This is a dream come true after many years of thinking about it. However there is a learning curve for me to get the desired results from the students. One obstacle is trying to explain how I developed from traditional representational art to non figurative abstraction. This process developed for me over many years and I want to give my students the experience in three short hours. I have come to the conclusion after teaching the workshops a few times that I need to develop two classes: one for artists with previous art experience who want to depart and explore new ways of art making and another class for beginners who have limited practice making art. The beginner class would explore the basic elements of design and mark making. I have done this one once before but I need to advertise the classes to two different audiences in the future.
Carol Barber's hand painted earringsLast Spring and through the Summer I started painting on large paper, 18" x 24" and wooden shapes for earrings. I finished the first release of earrings and sold quite a few, so I am working on a second release for November 2nd, 2019. The earrings are very interesting to make. I have discovered I like quick gestures and a scraping technique the best because of the organic feeling to the paint. Sometimes this works easily but sometimes I really struggle with it. So many factors come into play from paint consistency to how much pressure I use with my hand or tool. I have discarded many attempts. I also have to make the two earrings match in mirror image which is an added challenge. The large paper has helped me to produce many pieces quickly and it is surprising how many layers of paint one piece of paper will take.
"All Along the Watchtower", 18" x 24" mixed media on paper
Check out my new collection, "Touch of Earth", on Fine Art America. This work is from a new series where I am incorporating neutral colors into my palette while exploring line, shape and mark making. The many layers and delicate lines give each abstract piece a rich surface. Fine Art America offers prints in a variety of sizes and on many products. I think the weekender tote bag looks especially nice with my art. Please check it out!
www.carolbarber.com
Painting for the love of color, the joyous process of layering paint and the inspiration of the wonderful world around us. I have been an exhibiting artist since 2002.
