Frank Barnes

Joined Artfinder: Dec. 2015

Artworks for sale: 217

(5)

United Kingdom

About Frank Barnes

 
 
  • Biography

    “My work is about recording what I see, feel and hear in different locations. These locations are places that I am familiar with and frequently re-visit. Such locations are ‘footprints’ of my own life experiences, they are permeated with memories and saturated with feelings. These places are, in most cases, substantial. They exist and are part of a material world. Occasionally the locations are ethereal and are derived from sources which are abstract and transcendental. The sources here are lyrical and the settings lie within the aesthetics of sound and the expression of ‘word’. The images develop through a process of spontaneously creating fresh visual melodies over structured backgrounds that form the settings for the compositions. Whether physical or abstract the paintings are intended as glancing episodes composed within illusionistic spaces. I try to paint as automatically as possible. It’s difficult to talk about ‘mark’ and ‘colour’ as an “idea” in a rational way, yet nothing can compare with its infinite possibilities and the multiplicity of its possible meanings. A smudge, a smear, a stroke of colour can be any number of things depending on shape, transparency, density, scale and context etc. The paintings are built in layers, each subsequent layer adding to a series of cancellations which partially veil the applications of colour, and spark improvisations. Other sources which inspire the paintings are varied, including early Renaissance art, Art Brut, North African art, American Abstract Expressionism, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, John Hoyland, the Fauves, Paul Gauguin, Howard Hodgkin, Helen Frankenthaler, Barbara Rae, Hans Hoffman, Alan Davie, Karel Appel, Corneille and the COBRA group. I also look to ancient cultures, historic signs, symbols and motifs, mythology, landscape, and the music of popular traditions, classical western origins, international folk, and jazz.” – Frank Barnes 2018


  • Links
  • Upcoming Events

    There are no upcoming events

    Show previous events Hide previous events

    Previous events

    Event: 18 x 18

    Dates: 3 Dec 2015 - 23 Dec 2015

    Venue: Cross Street Art Gallery, Standish, Wigan , U.K.

    A group show by 18 regional artists

    Event: Sefton Open 2015

    Dates: 1 Dec 2015 - 20 Dec 2015

    Venue: Atkinson Gallery, Southport U.K.

    Open exhibition

    Event: Cross Street Open

    Dates: 1 Oct 2015 - 18 Oct 2015

    Venue: Cross Street Art Gallery, Standish, Wigan, U.K.

    An open exhibition

    Event: Warrington Arts Festival

    Dates: 1 Oct 2015 - 21 Oct 2015

    Venue: Warrington Art Gallery, Warrington U.K.

    Group exhibition

    Event: Ithaka

    Dates: 1 Sep 2015 - 12 Sep 2015

    Venue: Art House Gallery, Southport U.K.

    A solo exhibition of recent works

    Event: Art Merseywide

    Dates: 1 Aug 2015 - 1 Sep 2015

    Venue: Editions Ltd, Cook St. Liverpool U.K.

    prizewinners show 'Best in Merseyside'

    Event: The Bigger Picture

    Dates: 1 May 2015 - 1 Jun 2015

    Venue: Gallery One World Of Glass, St. Helens U.K.

    group show of large paintings

    Event: Liverpool Art Fair

    Dates: 1 May 2015 - 1 Jun 2015

    Venue: The Gallery Liverpool, Stanhope St., Liverpool, UK

    Group show

    Event: Sefton Open 2014

    Dates: 1 Sep 2014 - 1 Dec 2014

    Venue: Atkinson Gallery, Southport

    Regional open exhibition

    Event: Out Of The Box

    Dates: 1 Jul 2014 - 1 Sep 2014

    Venue: Waterfront Gallery, Southport

    Regional artists exhibition

    Event: Cover Up

    Dates: 1 Apr 2014 - 1 May 2014

    Venue: The Waterfront Gallery, Southport

    An exhibition by regional artists

Links


There are no upcoming events

Show previous events Hide previous events

Previous events

Event: 18 x 18

Dates: 3 Dec 2015 - 23 Dec 2015

Venue: Cross Street Art Gallery, Standish, Wigan , U.K.

A group show by 18 regional artists

Event: Sefton Open 2015

Dates: 1 Dec 2015 - 20 Dec 2015

Venue: Atkinson Gallery, Southport U.K.

Open exhibition

Event: Cross Street Open

Dates: 1 Oct 2015 - 18 Oct 2015

Venue: Cross Street Art Gallery, Standish, Wigan, U.K.

An open exhibition

Event: Warrington Arts Festival

Dates: 1 Oct 2015 - 21 Oct 2015

Venue: Warrington Art Gallery, Warrington U.K.

Group exhibition

Event: Ithaka

Dates: 1 Sep 2015 - 12 Sep 2015

Venue: Art House Gallery, Southport U.K.

A solo exhibition of recent works

Event: Art Merseywide

Dates: 1 Aug 2015 - 1 Sep 2015

Venue: Editions Ltd, Cook St. Liverpool U.K.

prizewinners show 'Best in Merseyside'

Event: The Bigger Picture

Dates: 1 May 2015 - 1 Jun 2015

Venue: Gallery One World Of Glass, St. Helens U.K.

group show of large paintings

Event: Liverpool Art Fair

Dates: 1 May 2015 - 1 Jun 2015

Venue: The Gallery Liverpool, Stanhope St., Liverpool, UK

Group show

Event: Sefton Open 2014

Dates: 1 Sep 2014 - 1 Dec 2014

Venue: Atkinson Gallery, Southport

Regional open exhibition

Event: Out Of The Box

Dates: 1 Jul 2014 - 1 Sep 2014

Venue: Waterfront Gallery, Southport

Regional artists exhibition

Event: Cover Up

Dates: 1 Apr 2014 - 1 May 2014

Venue: The Waterfront Gallery, Southport

An exhibition by regional artists


 

Biography

“My work is about recording what I see, feel and hear in different locations. These locations are places that I am familiar with and frequently re-visit. Such locations are ‘footprints’ of my own life experiences, they are permeated with memories and saturated with feelings. These places are, in most cases, substantial. They exist and are part of a material world. Occasionally the locations are ethereal and are derived from sources which are abstract and transcendental. The sources here are lyrical and the settings lie within the aesthetics of sound and the expression of ‘word’. The images develop through a process of spontaneously creating fresh visual melodies over structured backgrounds that form the settings for the compositions. Whether physical or abstract the paintings are intended as glancing episodes composed within illusionistic spaces. I try to paint as automatically as possible. It’s difficult to talk about ‘mark’ and ‘colour’ as an “idea” in a rational way, yet nothing can compare with its infinite possibilities and the multiplicity of its possible meanings. A smudge, a smear, a stroke of colour can be any number of things depending on shape, transparency, density, scale and context etc. The paintings are built in layers, each subsequent layer adding to a series of cancellations which partially veil the applications of colour, and spark improvisations. Other sources which inspire the paintings are varied, including early Renaissance art, Art Brut, North African art, American Abstract Expressionism, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, John Hoyland, the Fauves, Paul Gauguin, Howard Hodgkin, Helen Frankenthaler, Barbara Rae, Hans Hoffman, Alan Davie, Karel Appel, Corneille and the COBRA group. I also look to ancient cultures, historic signs, symbols and motifs, mythology, landscape, and the music of popular traditions, classical western origins, international folk, and jazz.” – Frank Barnes 2018