Now that my exhibition at Brotfabrik has finished its second week and entered into its third, I thought I would share some of what’s happened and what’s coming up.
One of the gallerists at Brotfabrik has written several blog posts about the opening and my paintings, you can find them here:
1. On the opening: http://volwi-ein.blogspot.de/2018/03/stephanie-barnes-ronny-johne-going-with.html
2. The large piece that hangs in the first room: http://volwi-ein.blogspot.de/2018/03/gedanken-zum-bild-stephanie-barnes.html
3. Joy #4: http://volwi-ein.blogspot.de/2018/03/gedanken-zum-bild-joy-4-stephanie-barnes.html
I am doing a workshop on March 31 at the gallery from 13:00 until 18:00. The theme will be Resilience, and I will lead you through an interactive workshop exploring different artistic mediums and methods and how you can become the artist of your own life. Bringing artistic activities into your life can help you to be more resilient, curious, and help you to reduce stress. Come and explore and find out how. You can come for an hour or two, or hang-out for the whole afternoon, it’s up to you. If you’re on Facebook you can see details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/2034316343494347/ and if you’re not on Facebook there is information on the Brotfabrik page http://brotfabrik-berlin.de/event/stephanie-barnes-ronny-johne-going-with-the-flow/2018-03-17/, but basically just show-up ready to paint/draw and explore.
I will also do an artist talk at the finissage on April 15 at 16:00. I am hoping to prepare some of it in German, so come out and see how I do. 🙂
Finally, if you’re wondering if it’s worth coming out to see the exhibition, I can tell you that there are some things installed that were not at the “Ich muss gehen” event in January or other exhibitions I have done in Berlin. Additionally, the first piece in a new series that I have just started is hanging at the gallery, it’s called, “Opening Up #1”. The series deals with how we open ourselves up to people, only to get frightened and retreat again. It has elements of the “Masks we hide behind” series and other themes I’ve dealt with, but adds some new components; I’m excited for you to see it, so I hope you’ll stop by the gallery and check it out. The gallery is open daily from 16:00 until 20:00.
That’s all for now, I hope to see you at the workshop or the Finissage.
Info about my vernissage at Brotfabrik on March 2, 2018, 19:00 until 23:00. You can also find info on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/1707791832607324/
Info on the Brotfabrik page about my exhibition: http://brotfabrik-berlin.de/event/stephanie-barnes-ronny-johne-going-with-the-flow/2018-03-02/
This is a blog post about some recent experiences I have had receiving feedback from other artists about my work. In one case the feedback was negative and criticized me and my paintings, the other was overwhelmingly positive.
In both cases the feedback was unsolicited by me, although in the first case I had asked the artist a question about his experience in the art world, I did not, however, ask him to critique my work.
I did not know the first artist.
The second artist is someone I have known for about 6 years. I trust her and respect her as an artist and a person.
In the first case, the artist’s comments seemed inconsistent and I wondered if he even looked at my work before providing his unsolicited feedback.
In the second case, the artist congratulated me on the evolution of my art and complemented the professionalism of my work (her word, not mine).
Not everyone likes my work, and that’s fine, there’s lots of art that I don’t like too; I am not offended by people who don’t like my work. I am often curious about why and will often engage in a conversation about my art and what it is that they don’t like about it. Often it is too energetic or colourful or they want to “see” something in it, or they just don’t like abstract art—it’s not my paintings in particular, it’s a whole style of painting. And that’s okay, they’re allowed to like or not like things, that’s what makes this world a wonderful place: the diversity of thought and likes and dislikes.
I do think it’s important to keep an open mind when looking at other people’s artwork. If they are sharing it either publicly or privately, it is clearly something that is important to them, something they are passionate about, it is a story that they feel compelled to share in whatever way they are able to. I think you should show and interest in that, out of respect for the other person and their journey, and because you might learn something that informs your own thoughts and experiences (and creative practice, if you have one).
My paintings tell a story of personal growth and development, and have become more confident and complex as I have continued with my practice. To me they illustrate the complexity of life. Where they started out simply as an expression of joyful chaos, they now combine that joy and chaos with heartbreak and loss. Such is the nature of life.
Either that speaks to you or it doesn’t. In the case of the first artist, I would suggest that it didn’t, in the case of the second artist I would suggest that it did. Neither is right or wrong, that’s just the way it is, given their own individual life experiences.
Am I going to stop painting because someone doesn’t like my painting? No. I paint because I find it to be the best way to express things that I can’t put into words. I paint because I have to. I have stories to tell, that can only be told through my paintings.
I paint, therefore I am.
A Piece of My Heart (Author Unknown)
One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley. A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or a flaw in it. Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen. The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful heart.
Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said “Why, your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine.” The crowd and the young man looked at the old man’s heart. It was beating strongly, but it was full of scars. It had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didn’t fit quite right and there were several jagged edges. In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces were missing.
The people stared — how can he say his heart is more beautiful, they thought? The young man looked at the old man’s heart and saw its state and laughed. “You must be joking,” he said. “Compare your heart with mine. Mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears.”
“Yes,” said the old man, “yours is perfect looking but I would never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love – I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren’t exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared.”
“Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn’t returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty gouges — giving love, is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?”
The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man with trembling hands. The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man’s heart. It fit, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges. The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man’s heart flowed into his.
[Thanks, to Don Jackson (http://heartbeatoftheinternet.com/) for tracking down the text for me.]
You can see photos of my series on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mppc1967/ or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBarnesArt/
I am over joyed to be able to share these new videos with you, I created them (with the help of Chockablock Media, Allyson is a friend) to help me share more about my motivations for the painting that I do.
There are three videos, passion, process, and inspiration.
I hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoyed creating them!
(If you are in the Greater Toronto Area you can come out and meet me in person and see my art at Artscape Youngplace, details here http://www.stephaniebarnesart.com/art-2/september-26-27-art-show-and-sale/.)
Just a quick post to let you know about my upcoming show and sale, September 26-27, 2015 at Artscape Youngplace, 180 Shaw Street, Toronto. Noon until 5pm both days.
Come and meet Stephanie Barnes, artist at Artscape Youngplace. This will be her final show in Toronto before relocating to Berlin. See how her recent Berlin residencies have already impacted her painting process. Learn about her painting passions, processes, and inspirations.
Last Chance to See, Art show and sale
Hi,
Just a quick note, I am working on art events for the summer/fall.
There will be an event in July at Eat Your Words Books on Annette Street; I have solo show at Leaside Public Library in August; and I am planning an show and sale for Sept 26-27 at Artscape YoungPlace at Ossington and Queen.
I will post details once I have them.
I am also working on updating my site/pictures. You can always check out informal/studio pics on my Facebook Page, Stephanie Barnes Art
Yesterday (Nov 15, 2014), I painted live in the window at Serendipity Bistro. I started at 11am and finished just before 1pm. It was fun to see people watching me from the other side of the window, and enjoyable to talk to those who came in to look at my paintings that were hanging up, and take a closer look at the works-in-process.
I have posted pictures over on my Facebook page so you can take a look at them there, https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.847966831890464.1073741841.592798060740677&type=1.
