Let the beauty we love be what we do. —Rumi
I cannot do without something greater than I, something that is my life—the power to create. —Vincent van Gogh
Artist Statement
I am a compulsive creator, a poet as well as an artist. Over the years, I have worked in oil, acrylic, glass, mosaic, collage, textiles, jewelry-making, woodworking and orchard planting. A published poet and short story writer, I have edited one and co-edited three poetry anthologies as Incarnate Muse Press, most recently, Above Us Only Sky. There are always projects being planned as well as those in progress. I am always stopping to write down an idea, phrase, quick sketch, an intriguing image or beautiful word.
Inspiration comes from the cycle of the seasons, the moon, dreams, arches and classical architecture, tragedies and epiphanies in my own life and in history, the beauty of the human body and the curling vine or unfurling seed, and of course, myth, poetry and the word. Sometimes simply color, pattern and light move me to envision a piece as much as the theme or secret meaning of the work.
Two of my collages were recently shown in Bremen, Germany then traveled to New Zealand where they appeared in four gallery shows in 2007. My collage Always Body is currently a part of the Bienniel exhibit at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center gallery. I have been focusing lately on mosaic and collage, enjoying how the beauty or message of each of sometimes thousands of individual pieces come together in a work to form its own special meaning and beauty.
Anita Barnard
Fort Worth, Texas