NetWorks Rhode Island and the Chazan Collection Exhibition, WaterFire Arts Center (2024) Bio:
“Layers and repetition are fundamental in my work. While these two words describe the physical aspects of the work, they also describe the act of making them. A shape’s outline is cut repeatedly until there is nothing left, a painting is cut into strips to weave new forms, and the repetition of shapes builds larger compositions. These techniques symbolize the passage of time, personal experiences, and ways to find imagery. As a formalist, I explore the relationship between shapes and space, while as a colorist, I aim to evoke emotional responses through my work.”
Barbara Owen received her MFA from the School of Visual Arts, NY, and an interdivisional BA in Sculpture and Poetry from Bennington College, VT. Her pieces are found in private and corporate collections internationally. In 2016, two of her paintings were selected for exhibitions with the Arts in Embassies (AIE) program, one in Ports Moresby, Papua New Guinea, and the other in the permanent collection at the American Embassy in Paramaribo, Suriname. She is currently a visiting artist at Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Providence, RI.”
Original NetWorks Catalogue Bio:
Barbara Owen received a dual degree in sculpture and poetry at Bennington College. She wrote a creative thesis under the direction of the poet Ben Belitt, studied sculpture with Brower Hatcher and painting with artist Sidney Tillim. Her work has been featured in numerous venues nationally and in 2016 she was asked to exhibit with the Arts in Embassies program and has paintings in Suriname and Papua New Guinea. Owen has participated in artist residency programs nationwide, including the MASS MoCA/Assets for Artists in 2015. She writes, “Throughout my career I have worked in series in order to explore how color, shape, material, and paint itself develop and change one’s experience of each piece, while consistently employing a history of shapes. As a formalist, my work plays with space and the relationship between shapes. As a colorist, I am trying to create effective and emotional responses to the work.”
Featured in: NetWorks 2015-2016
Ink and acrylic on paper, 85 x 43 in.
Credits:
Video: Richard Goulis
Executive Producer: Joseph A. Chazan, M.D.
Additional Resources:
Artist’s Website: http://www.barbaraowen.net/
Highlighting the work of selected artists who have played vital roles in shaping the contemporary visual arts community in Rhode Island. This collection of brief video portraits provides a window into the lives, practices, and cultural contributions of professional artists.
