LOS ANGELES, May 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Fine artist Renae Barnard opens the doors to her private studio location in Los Angeles for an exclusive showcase Sunday, May 27th from 12 - 3pm. Invitees will be the first to preview recently completed works by the artist.
Mauveine State. 13”W x 26”L x 4”D. Paper, Dye.
Recently featured by The Woven Tale Press, Selvedge Magazine and Art Blitz Los Angeles, Renae Barnard's studio practice includes sculpture, painting and textile artworks. Her latest works incorporate recycled materials from the furniture manufacturing industry to create sculptural foundations for painting. The organic formations and layered textures reference natural earthen elements and minerals. A gem-like color palette of low-VOC paints was specially provided by Dunn-Edwards in support of this eco-conscious project.
Renae Barnard, Untitled 2018.
Indulging in the pleasure and tactility of making, these folded, twisted, and sewn objects are both destroyed by and reinforced with the repetitive gestures by which they are made. "Many of my sculptures are worked within inches of collapse and reflect my attraction to the imperfect and the aged," says Barnard. The time consuming and ritualistic processes of braiding, weaving, stitching and hand-dying textiles highlights the delicacy and transience of the material. 'Why are attributes like softness and delicacy deemed "feminine"? And why are such qualities considered indicators of weakness?' These are just a few of the questions surrounding Barnard's artwork.
Creating a material language to explore these nuanced precepts, Barnard combines her hand-made craft technique with elements of playful divergence and social commentary. "I allow myself the sensitivity to make work that reveals both wounds and strengths, wrangling material out of an emotional response to feelings of tension. And so, my reason for making art is so that they might speak in my place, referencing issues that are uncomfortable and difficult to express in words."
Barnard has a Master of Fine Arts degree from Claremont Graduate University and is a recipient of the Sue Arlen Walker and Harvey M. Parker Memorial Fellowship, the Armory Center for the Arts Teaching Artist Fellowship, the Ahmanson Annual Fellowship, the Lincoln Fellowship Award and the Christopher Street West Art & Culture Grant.
Barnard has created site specific, socially engaged works and exhibited at local and international galleries/film festivals including Shoshana Wayne Gallery, Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Rutgers University, Towson University, Drake University, Harriet & Charles Luckman Gallery, SOMArts Gallery, Pete & Susan Barrett Gallery, LGBT Film Festival Boston, Long Beach LGBTQ Film Festival, Tampa International LGBTQ Film Festival, and the Bergamot Station Arts Center in Santa Monica among others. To learn more about Renae Barnard, please visit: www.renaebarnard.com
