Biography
Barbara is an artist dividing time between NH and Maine, who works in watercolors and egg temperas, creating unique still lives, landscapes and architectural scenes from rural New England. Her watercolor painting and egg temperas are highly realistic putting the viewer there in the subject matter.
Graduating from Anna Maria College located in Paxton, Mass., in 1975, she received her degree in art and advertising. She started her career as a graphic designer, winning numerous awards for advertising designs and concepts. Her first love, however has always been painting and she incorporates much of her professional design and color knowledge into her art.
Barbara is a signature member of the New England Watercolor Society, the American Watercolor Society, Academic Artists, Monadnock Area Arts Association, the Society of Tempera Painters and the Catherine Lorillard Wolf Art Club. Her award winning paintings have been highlighted in many juried shows and can be found hanging in private and corporate collections across the United States.
Currently, she is represented by the Harvest Gold Gallery in Center Lovell, Maine.
Artist Statement for Barbara Coburn
My creative process is based on the excitement I get seeing subjects to paint in the everyday, especially rural New England.
There is always a camera in the car, as I never know when I will happen upon a “painting”. Exploring back roads I take many photos of my subject – at different times and seasons.
I will also set up shorts, using my background in advertising to design a painting using shadows and light for drama.
Developing a watercolor painting begins with doing a lot of prep work – reviewing photos, sketches and then a detailed drawing. From the many photos I add and subtract elements that will enhance the design and feeling of the piece. Then comes the fun part – painting. Working with the washes and glazes I let the watercolor paper help me in creating textures. By working up these textures, I highlight the wood, glass, trees or shadows that are in the subject. I enjoy this process of creating a realistic piece of art but still retaining a painterly style.
Egg Tempera is an intimate form of painting. It is one of the oldest forms of painting requiring egg yolk, pure pigments and water on a grounded surface. Temperas have been found on walls and panels as early as the Greek and Roman time. I make my own paints from ground pigment, purchase natural hand gessoed board and make my own shellac. All this forms a personal bond with the painting. Again, the glazing process is very time consuming, requiring lot’s of patience until the painting emerges, but the final results are worth the wait! The luminous translucent colors give a glow to the paintings that can only be achieved in egg tempera.
My artistic goals are to keep creating and exploring ways to be a better artist. I will try to find more opportunities (shows and galleries) to keep evolving – learning from my successes and failures
I create art so the viewers of my work will be brought into a scene that puts them in a different place and time. From my paintings, I hope people will appreciate things that they would maybe overlook – that long shadow that becomes it own design, a reflection in a window, an old but proud building or that slash of color that the sun will highlight. I will keep painting what inspires me going deeper into the subject and painting process.
© Barbara Coburn, Fine Art, Keene, New Hampshire
Currently represented in the following Galleries: