About Barbara
My Background
My parents moved east from the mid-west when I was 6 to a rambling old house with woods and barn outside Philadelphia, PA. Growing up there with my brother and sisters I experimented with painting, theatre, music and dance. We rode horses, played sports and learned about growing vegetables. Attending an Arts High School, Wykeham Rise was where I developed an appreciation for the work ethic of the artist. My focus in college (Maryland Institute College of Art)and graduate school (Parsons School of Design) was Painting and Printmaking.
Mediums
I use several different mediums consistently such as oil, watercolor and gouache painting, ink wash, ink pen, pencil, colored pencil, printmaking, collage and clay relief.
I have lived on and off in Hendersonville, North Carolina since 1976 when I married Gary Eblen. I enjoy hiking, gardening and travel. Much of my art is influenced by nature and places I have been.
mediums I love to work with
Print /Collage
Print /Collage
Print /Collage
I use 6"x 11" Speedi-Cut Blocks to make relief prints then add collage from varieties of art papers. They tell a different story every time, which I like.
Watercolor
Print /Collage
Print /Collage
Watercolor is a favorite choice for catching the light and energy of form while traveling or just looking around at home and in the garden. I often use pen to add a drawing element.
Oil Paint
Print /Collage
Oil Paint
When painting from life for a few hours in plein air or for longer sessions in the studio I enjoy the journey of studying color and space. Yes I do all different sizes!
Sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture
I like working in clay relief as a way to explore depth. This requires carving into and adding clay (usually stoneware) firing in a kiln, glazing and firing again.
Drawing
Sculpture
Sculpture
Drawing from nature, memory, and from the imagination is an ongoing process. It can be the start of something that evolves in another medium or a brief observation of the moment.
Plein Air
Sculpture
Plein Air
Working outside, the study of the light and color in the moment is a demanding and exciting subject. With oil paint there can be more range of effects than watercolor.