In Transition

Paintings by Francisco De la Barra

October 18 - November 30, 2009

Gallery Hours

Mon - Thurs, 10 A.M. - 4 P.M.
Sun 10 A.M. - noon

Opening Reception

Friday, October 23, 7-9 P.M.

Artist’s Statement

I prefer to approach my work in an emotional manner. I pay attention to the feelings of the subject I am portraying, and also focus on how I respond to the subject. I am not necessarily trying to make portraits that have a resemblance to the subject. I am more interested in capturing the personal, social and political components of the individual.

A human face is so rich it can communicate so much. It carries so many narratives of our cultural and emotional history. Our eyes can act as windows to our world, and lead to our deepest thoughts and fears.

In my search for expression, I have been experimenting with organic materials and have been using spices, seeds, herbs, etc. I found that they provide interesting chromatic and textural aspects to my painting. As they interact with each other, they produce unexpected colors and textures, making the painting process more unpredictable. The surprise effect of this technique makes me less in control of the creation process, and more of a witness of it.

And last but not least, I have been thinking about building human faces with organic materials using the foods we consume and that are part of our cultures. I find it interesting to create a representation of life, with things that are part of the cycle of life itself.

Francisco De la Barra
www.fran6co.com