Phylis Barfoot - Painter and mixed media artist from Vernon, NJ
“My passion for color, light, texture and contrast come from my natural surroundings. The reflection of river rocks in a stream, the veins and translucency of dragonfly wings, the richness of moss on ageless granite, or the brilliant colors of ocean fish among a coral reef. I can’t open my eyes and not be inspired”
A resident of Sussex County for almost 30 years, Phylis Barfoot is a graduate of William Paterson University. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with concentrations in painting and printmaking and an Associates degree in Fine Art from Sussex County Community College in graphic design. She has spent many years studying the Art of Silk Painting with such prominent teachers as Suzanne Punch, Natasha Foucault, Jan Janis and Paula Carnell. She has studied the Japanese Art Of Shibori with master Yoshiko Wada and at Peter’s Valley Craft Center, as well as Chinese Ink Painting and Printmaking with master Zhiyuan Cong. She is a standing member of Silk Painters International (SPIN), Christians in the Visual Arts (CIVA), the Surface Design Association, the Warwick Art League, and the Sussex County Arts and Heritage Council. She has worked as an adjunct Art Professor at Sussex County Community College where she thoroughly enjoyed shepherding young artists while pushing them to explore their abilities and inspiring them to leave their comfort zone with a “there is no failure, only a new lesson” mantra. With an interest in psychology and the edification of others—coupled with the idea of Art as Therapy, Barfoot thrives on giving the gift of artistic expression and voice to those in need of self-empowering. She teaches workshops as well as privately- including youngsters thru seniors in various mediums.
Among many awards Barfoot has received throughout her career several local ones include 3 First Place awards for printmaking and textiles as well as a Purchase Award from Ben Shahn Center for Visual Arts and the permanent collection of William Paterson University. She received a Best in Show award at the Bergen Museum of Art and Science, and numerous others from various councils, associations and institutions, both with-in and outside of the tri-state area. Her most recent solo exhibit was in the Sussex County Community College gallery. It was held in conjunction with a fund raising event she coordinated to benefit the organization “Wine to Water” which helps 3rd world communities get clean, safe drinking water.
Although exhibiting mostly in the tri-state area her work is currently in public and private collections throughout the country. One Renowned client being The Philippine Ambassador to the Vatican; a work purchased from a juried show at The Riverdale Art Center (the RAC). Her work was most recently represented by Traillworks Gallery in Newton, NJ until their closure in 2013. She is thrilled to be a part of The Skylands Gallery and will be relocating Triada Studios to it’s sister building at 15 Boulder Hills Blvd.
Barfoot has been published in Artbeat Annual numerous times as well as The Thing Magazine, and The NJ Herald. She wrote an article on her thesis entitled “For such a Time As This” which was posted on the worship page (archived) of the website for Pastor Rick Warren’s - Saddleback Church in Irvine California.
Phylis currently resides in Vernon, New Jersey and can be reached at 973-390-6432.
A resident of Sussex County for almost 30 years, Phylis Barfoot is a graduate of William Paterson University. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with concentrations in painting and printmaking and an Associates degree in Fine Art from Sussex County Community College in graphic design. She has spent many years studying the Art of Silk Painting with such prominent teachers as Suzanne Punch, Natasha Foucault, Jan Janis and Paula Carnell. She has studied the Japanese Art Of Shibori with master Yoshiko Wada and at Peter’s Valley Craft Center, as well as Chinese Ink Painting and Printmaking with master Zhiyuan Cong. She is a standing member of Silk Painters International (SPIN), Christians in the Visual Arts (CIVA), the Surface Design Association, the Warwick Art League, and the Sussex County Arts and Heritage Council. She has worked as an adjunct Art Professor at Sussex County Community College where she thoroughly enjoyed shepherding young artists while pushing them to explore their abilities and inspiring them to leave their comfort zone with a “there is no failure, only a new lesson” mantra. With an interest in psychology and the edification of others—coupled with the idea of Art as Therapy, Barfoot thrives on giving the gift of artistic expression and voice to those in need of self-empowering. She teaches workshops as well as privately- including youngsters thru seniors in various mediums.
Among many awards Barfoot has received throughout her career several local ones include 3 First Place awards for printmaking and textiles as well as a Purchase Award from Ben Shahn Center for Visual Arts and the permanent collection of William Paterson University. She received a Best in Show award at the Bergen Museum of Art and Science, and numerous others from various councils, associations and institutions, both with-in and outside of the tri-state area. Her most recent solo exhibit was in the Sussex County Community College gallery. It was held in conjunction with a fund raising event she coordinated to benefit the organization “Wine to Water” which helps 3rd world communities get clean, safe drinking water.
Although exhibiting mostly in the tri-state area her work is currently in public and private collections throughout the country. One Renowned client being The Philippine Ambassador to the Vatican; a work purchased from a juried show at The Riverdale Art Center (the RAC). Her work was most recently represented by Traillworks Gallery in Newton, NJ until their closure in 2013. She is thrilled to be a part of The Skylands Gallery and will be relocating Triada Studios to it’s sister building at 15 Boulder Hills Blvd.
Barfoot has been published in Artbeat Annual numerous times as well as The Thing Magazine, and The NJ Herald. She wrote an article on her thesis entitled “For such a Time As This” which was posted on the worship page (archived) of the website for Pastor Rick Warren’s - Saddleback Church in Irvine California.
Phylis currently resides in Vernon, New Jersey and can be reached at 973-390-6432.
|
|
Artist Statement:
painting, silk & fiber work, mixed media assemblage
and anything else I can get my hands on
Glimpses, the fruit of the expression The Eclectic nature of my work reflects my love for the artistic process. The result of which is a celebration of mark making endeavors; glimpses of an on-going love affair with the colors, lines, textures, rhythms and patterns found in the natural world. I see these things as the fingerprints of God. The journey I am on is one of continuous discovery of the endless combinations of techniques available for self-expression.
My disposition draws me to look at all things of the natural world in a deeper way, as if magnified. The fruit of engaging with life in this way is a revelation of self, a strengthening of faith, and an expanding sense of awe for all creation. It is my hope that what I create will solicit a pause in time that will frame the silence needed for a work of art to become a window through which a confused and troubled world can see the order in God’s Love, the beauty of creation with no boundaries. Nature has always been my connection to the divine. It grounds me to my mortality;
Yet lifts me beyond to embrace the great mystery.
painting, silk & fiber work, mixed media assemblage
and anything else I can get my hands on
Glimpses, the fruit of the expression The Eclectic nature of my work reflects my love for the artistic process. The result of which is a celebration of mark making endeavors; glimpses of an on-going love affair with the colors, lines, textures, rhythms and patterns found in the natural world. I see these things as the fingerprints of God. The journey I am on is one of continuous discovery of the endless combinations of techniques available for self-expression.
My disposition draws me to look at all things of the natural world in a deeper way, as if magnified. The fruit of engaging with life in this way is a revelation of self, a strengthening of faith, and an expanding sense of awe for all creation. It is my hope that what I create will solicit a pause in time that will frame the silence needed for a work of art to become a window through which a confused and troubled world can see the order in God’s Love, the beauty of creation with no boundaries. Nature has always been my connection to the divine. It grounds me to my mortality;
Yet lifts me beyond to embrace the great mystery.