Artist's Statement

“How you see is what you see,” a teacher once said to me. I have held onto those words for many years. For me, painting is a call to undo conventional thinking and ways of seeing. It has allowed me to become freshly aware of my experiences and surroundings. In awestruck moments of being present, the world presents itself as a profound, unbroken continuity of energy, colors and shapes- not just separate, ordinary things. It is in these moments of focus and awareness that I feel most inspired and in touch with my work. Some of my most profound life experiences have unfolded in silent communion with my painting, thinking with my paintbrushes in hand. The joy and challenge comes for me in interpreting the landscape and painting the richness of the shadows and the vibrancy of the light. I find that the yellows keep getting yellower and the blues bluer as I continue to try to free up the brush and let go.

All Text and Images © Copyright 2005 Barbara Coleman. All Rights Reserved.