Barbara Hunter
Apex, NC
Realism is my calling. I paint landscapes, still life and portraits of animals/pets and people.
MessageBarbara has been drawn to the contemplative space of oil painting and mastering the nuances of working with composition, color, values, and edges for more than 40 years. It took a pandemic for her to be able to devote the time and space to painting full-time, which she refers to today as the silver-lining of lock down.
Over the years Barbara has as studied with acclaimed artists and teachers, including Mark Carder, Dawn Whitelaw, Adam Clague and Kelly Folsom, to name a few. All have helped to feed her insatiable curiosity to learn more. Barbara uses a variety of media— fabrics, still life objects, pencil, and photography—to fulfill her desire to create something beautiful to capture on canvas and share with others.
Barbara is most content when at her easel capturing quiet moments of ocean sunsets and soft marsh grasses, rolling hills and scenic landscapes, still life studies of flowers, fruit, and sentimental portraits of people and pets. Her studio has become her place of peaceful refuge. When others see her paintings, it is her hope they sense a gift of peace and beauty in a world in need of both.
Exhibitions and Awards
2023 Fine Art League of Cary Member Show
2022 Fine Art Studio Online BoldBrush Painting Competition FAV15
2022 Mayton Hallways Show
2022 Art Change, Fonville Morrisey, Preston Woods
Gallery Representation
All About Art, Bald Head Island, NC
Memberships
Oil Painters of America
Portrait Society of America
American Women Artists
Fine Art league, Cary
Chatham Artists Guild (application pending approval)
Statement
When I first tried my hand at oil painting many years ago, I was mesmerized by the buttery feel of the paint and the deep, rich colors. Today, after years of study and working with a cadre of talented teachers and mentors, I am still captivated. I expect to continue to hone my skills for the rest of my life and it humbles me deeply to say, “I am an artist.”
My inspiration as to what to paint is influenced by the composition, light, and color, but is not necessarily conscious choice. It seems instead to be more intuitive, as if the painting chooses me. When I am at my easel, capturing the beauty I see with my eyes and feel in my heart, I believe I am using my God-given gifts as an artist. The art of painting feeds my soul.
While my inspiration may be more intuitive, the process of painting is highly disciplined. Drawing in proportion, composition, value, edges, and color are each important technical aspects to consider when painting. As an artist who paints realism, my goal is to portray real life subject matter just as it is. If the buildings are leaning from the passage of time, as they do in Italy, or the shadows obscure some aspects of what I see, that is what I paint. I want my painting to speak to a viewer in a quiet, compelling way about the beauty they see or the memory the painting evokes. Only then do I feel my work is complete.
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