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Libby Barrett (born 1946, Madison, New Jersey) has lived in Maine since 1971. Barrett received her BFA in graphic design from Portland School of Art (now Maine College of Art) in 1988 and worked in that field for eighteen years. Looking for a more tactile involvement in her art-making, Barrett began painting and exhibiting floorcloths in 2002. In 2005 she took a six-month educational leave from her job to pursue an independent study making artist's books. Barrett continues to work in both mediums and exhibits her work internationally. While making artist's books offers the opportunity to experiment with structure, materials, and processes, encaustic painting and floorcloths fulfill my desire to play with design and color. I enjoy the different ways of thinking--a visual approach when painting with encaustics or on floorcloths and a more conceptual approach when making books. Geometric shapes and color interaction often inspire my floorcloths, while painting with encaustics offers the luminosity and texture possible only with this unique medium. Many of my book ideas are inspired by language--a pun, a turn of phrase, something that offers possibilities for interpretation in an unusual way. I am also inspired by countless small quiet moments. Themes of nature, place, and human experience are common in my work.
TO PURCHASE ARTWORK Artist's books are available through Vamp and Tramp, Booksellers, LLC (http://www.vampandtramp.com/html/home.html) or Trinket & Fern, Portland, ME. Jewelry is available at The Center for Maine Craft, West Gardiner Travel Plaza, West Gardiner, ME, and Trinket & Fern, Portland, Me. Or contact me directly about any of my artwork.
EXHIBITIONS 2011 "Artists Books from the Bridwell Art Library," June 27 - August 7, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 2011 "Un-Speak-Able," juried show, March 4 - April 2, 2011, The Arts Center, Corvallis, OR 2009-2011 "The Perfect Fit," juried traveling exhibition, June 6-January 3, 2010, Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA; April 30-September 12, 2010, The Nicolaysen Museum, Casper, Wyoming; October 16-January 2, 2011, Albany Institute of History & Art, Albany, NY; February 5, 2011-April 3, 2011, Kimball Art Center, Park City, UT 2010-2011 "The Book: A Contemporary View," invitational, December 22, 2010-April 17, 2011, Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts, Wilmington, DE 2010 "Altering Matters," new work by Maine members of the Surface Design Association, September 7-November 30, 2010, Atrium Gallery, Lewiston-Auburn College, University of Southern Maine, Lewiston, ME 2010 "Step on It," solo exhibition of hand-painted floorcloths, November 1-November 30, 2010, The Gallery at Harmon's and Barton's, Portland, ME 2010 Bradbury Mountain Arts Holiday Show, guest artist, December 3,4,5, 2010, Mallett Hall, Pownal Center, ME 2010 "Decadal" April 1-30, solo exhibition, Thomas Memorial Library, Cape Elizabeth, ME 2010 "Quantified Aesthetics," juried group exhibition, March 12-June 20, 2010, Minnesota Center for Book Arts, Minneapolis, MN 2010 "Chroma," March 1-March 31, 2010, Hope.Gate.Way., 185 High Street, Portland, ME 2009 "Art at the Cathedral," group exhibition, October 2, Cathedral of St. Luke, Portland, ME 2009 "Spineless Wonders: Inspiring Invertebrates," group exhibition, September-December, Atrium Gallery, Lewiston-Auburn College, University of Southern Maine, Lewiston, ME 2009 "4-Point Persepective," group exhibition, September 4-26, Harlow Gallery, Hallowell, ME 2008 "Renewals," group exhibition, November 7-21, Belfast Free Library, Belfast, ME 2008 "Revisions of the American Dream," group exhibition, June 6-July 7, The Susan Hensel Gallery, Minneapolis, MN 2008 "Re:," traveling group exhibition: May 12-29, The Gallery, The University of Northampton, Northampon, England; July 14-August 14, Artworks MK, Milton Keynes, England; Summer, Herefordshire College of Art, Hereford, England; November 3-14, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, England 2008 "Beyond Reading: Books as Art," group exhibition, April 25-June 6, Suffolk Museum, Suffolk, VA 2008 "Shelter," traveling group exhibition: April 10-22, Wedeman Gallery, Yamawaki Art and Cultural Center, Lasell College, Newton, MA; May 9-June 19, Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, Silver Spring, MD; July 9-August 15, Fleet Library, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI; October 1-29, 301 Gallery, Montserrat College of Art, Beverly, MA; April 8-May 3, 2009, The String Room Gallery, Wells College, Aurora, NY 2008 "Transparent/Opaque," group exhibition, April 4-26, Abecedarian Gallery, Denver, CO 2008 "Secrets and Lies," group exhibition, March 20-April 26, 23 Sandy Gallery, Portland, OR 2008 "New England Artists' Exhibition," group exhibition, March 19-April 26, Turner Center for the Arts, Turner, ME 2007 "Work of the Hand," group exhibition, Center for Maine Contemporary Art, Rockport, ME 2007 "Bird Sightings," group exhibition, Atrium Gallery, Lewiston-Auburn College, University of Southern Maine, Lewiston, ME 2007 "Regenerator: Altered Books," group exhibition, University of West England, Bristol, England 2006 "From My Mind's Eye," solo exhibition, University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME 2006 "Work of the Hand," group exhibition, Center for Maine Contemporary Art, Rockport, ME 2006 "Bookmarks IV Infiltrating the Library System: Australia, UK and USA," group exhibition, multiple venues 2006 "Forest: Anchors of Earth, Tellers of Time," group exhibition, Atrium Gallery, Lewiston-Auburn College, University of Southern Maine, Lewiston, ME 2005 "Handmade Carpets: Art Meets Function," group exhibition, Old Point Comfort Gallery, Waldoboro, ME 2003 "Work of the Hand," group exhibition, Center for Maine Contemporary Art, Rockport, ME 2002 "After Hours," group exhibition, Art Gallery, University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME
REPRESENTATION Vamp & Tramp, Booksellers, LLC
PERMANENT COLLECTIONS Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library, UCLA, Los Angeles, California Special Collections, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia Margaret M. Bridwell Art Library, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky Dr. Ronald B. Madge Entomology Collection, Bruce Peel Special Collections Library, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
EDUCATION Independent study, University of Worcester, Worcester, England BFA, Maine College of Art, Portland, Maine
GRANT West Gardiner Community Enterprise Grant, 2009-2010
AFFILIATIONS Maine Crafts Association Surface Design Association |
