Be sure to hear Bärbel describe her artistic passion and vision on her homepage video here.

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Artistic Biography:

Bärbel is a Canadian by heart and German born. Growing up she spent numerous hours with her sketch book and paints capturing the lakes and forests of rural Ontario .

 

After moving out west , she received training at Alberta University of the Arts and continued to hone her skills as she joined national art organizations. Living in several provinces and traveling coast to coast has allowed her to capture the Canadian landscape in her emotive paintings, infusing her art with joyous colours, a peaceful vision, and whimsical style. Her semi-representational paintings are vibrant and simplified in form evoking influences of Art Deco and the Group of Seven.

 

She is an award winning juried signature member of national and provincial art organizations, and is represented by several galleries throughout Canada. Her extensive body of work is in private and corporate collections nationally and internationally.

 

Currently she resides with her hubby south-east of Ottawa Ontario, close to her grown children and grandchildren, surrounded by forests where she paints full time.

 

 

Artist's Statement:

My subject matter is the Canadian landscape and my method is smoothly applied paint . I strive to see beyond the busy surface of things and capture the light, colours and shapes of this numinous land. While each painting may be inspired by on-site plein-air studies, sketches, and my reference photos; the final result pushes the boundaries to something more abstract, dreamy and more spiritual; as if I am painting the soul of the landscape.

 

Peace, joy and hope are what I feel when I am painting, and hope others do as well when they view my art. Peace as in the water's peaceful reflection of the land; and joy by infusing playful colours and stylized semi abstract, whimsical trees; and hope in the calming spiritual effect,(through curved lines and smooth application of paint).

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Painting is a form of communication for me, communication between heaven and earth. A way for my soul to reach out and touch the immortal; to catch a fleeting glimpse of God. Each body of work becomes an adventure where I can re-unite with creation and my own immortal being.

 

 

 

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C.V.

Selected Juried Shows and Exhibitions:

2023    Federation of Canadian Artists:  Shape and Form Show; Toronto Invitational Show; Artists Choice Show.

            SCA Elected Members Show - Award of Merit

2022    Federation of Canadian Artists: Signature Success Show; Shape and Form Show; Artist's Choice Show

            Society of Canadian Artists: 2022 Members Juried Show

            Cline House Gallery Group Show - Vantage Points Show, Cornwall, ON

2021    Federation of Canadian Artists, Toronto Chapter show, 

            Ontario Society of Artists, 150th Anniversary show

2020    Society of Canadian Artists Online Juried Show

            Federation of Canadian Artists Shows: Group of Seven - Vancouver; FCA Shape and Form ` Show

            Elaine Fleck Gallery, Creative Minds Exhibition , Toronto, ON   ​

2019    Federation of Canadian Artists: Active Members Exhibition, Awarded Honourable Mention

            Elaine Fleck Gallery, Best of New Submissions Show, Toronto, ON

2018    Federation of Canadian Artists, Juried Shows: Artists Choice, Small and smaller show, summer showcase, Oh  Canada                 Exhibition, Scenes of Western Canada show,

            SCA online juried exhibition, Letter Perfect show

           Pelham Niagara Show, Riverdale Artwalk Toronto, Artwalk in the Square Show Toronto,

2017    McMichael Autumn Art Show, McMichael Gallery, Kleinburg, ON

            Pelham Niagara Show, WC Stoufville Show, Oakville Show,

2016    Riverdale Show, WC Stoufville Show, Pelham Niagara Show, Oakville Show, Queen West Art Crawl

2015    Love Art Show. Riverdale Show Toronto, Cabbage Town Show Toronto, Oakville Show,

            Group of Seven Seniors show, Art Square Gallery

2014    Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition TOAE –juried show

1988 - 2014   Numerous other regional community shows and national shows with the Federation of Canadian Artists

 

Gallery Representation

Galerie Bloom, Montreal, QC 

Koyman Galleries, Ottawa, ON

Eclipse Art Gallery, Huntsville, ON

Tutt Street Gallery, Kelowna, BC

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​Awards, Designations and Noteworthy Mention

2023 Society of Canadian Artists - Award of Merit

2022 Federation of Canadian Artists - (AFCA – juried signature member designation)

2020 Ontario Society of Artists - (OSA - juried member designation)

2020 Society of Canadian Artists (SCA – juried signature member designation)

2019 Active National Members Exhibition, Federation of Canadian Artists - Honourable Mention Award,

2015 Commissioned painting for the Children’s Wish Foundation- Prints hang in hospitals in Ontario

1988  Federation of Canadian Artists (Active member status)

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Corporate Collections:

Weston Forest Products

Durham Condominium Corporation

Sick Kids Hospital

Roadwarrior Inc.

and various private and corporate collections throughout Canada and internationally.

 

Media Features:

Arabella Magazine, March 2024 edition.  Featured Artist - Pg. 81

Glengarry News, Front Page Photo, September 28, 2022 Vol.131.No.39 Photo by: Steven Warburton

Josie Newman, "Light in the Landscape" The Link Arts, Entertainment, Lifestyle Magazine, Autumn 2018.

Bill Hornbostel, "Colborne Painter Having A Grand Opening in April" The Cramahe Now Community News Magazine, March 5, 2018

Spirit of the Hills, Featured Artist  2018  ​

Nasmith, Cecelia, “Colborne Artist Expands Children’s classes” The Colborne Chronicle – Northumberland Today  March 31, 2015.

Brown, Moira, interview “Family faces trouble with grace” 100 Huntley St. Interview, (2 episodes) May, 2011

Owen, Bob, “Township Art Classes”, Cramahe Now Feb 13, 2011

Nasmith, Cecelia, “Art for the Lord show supports Children’s Wish” Northumberland Today, May 16, 2008

Northumberland County Arts Guide – Premiere Edition 2008

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Education/Training:

2018 Janet Read – Workshop – understanding abstraction

2017 Jon Anderson Workshop

2013 Brian Smith, figurative abstraction workshop

2012 Art in Libraries- workshop

1996 to 98 Athabasca University

1994 to 95 Briercrest Seminary

1986 to 88 Alberta University of the Arts – studied under William Parker

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