Viewers standing before them become part of the scenery itself as their reflections are superimposed.
Courtesy of the artist.
Barb Bowlsby
This body of work embraces a distinct process utilizing metal leaf. Gilt is applied on flat canvas or Barb’s trademark curved panel. As an integral part of this creative process, she paints the layers of gold with a special mixture of minerals which patina the metal over time to create deep opalescent colours. It is a style that she has designed which challenges conventional perceptions of art, a mix of both old world and modern techniques as well as a bit of science. Her works are reminiscent of European landscape painters with glimpses of land, water and mountains. The viewer is drawn into a setting characterized by soft, ephemeral landscapes which are anchored by a hint of realism. With the luminescence of gold these images can transform and change with varying light throughout the day, wielding a compelling hold on the viewer, “a loose flow of movement, a visual journey.”
Many of these paintings are finished with thick coatings of glass-like resin. Viewers standing before them become part of the scenery itself as their reflections are superimposed.
