Barbara Davies
About Barbara Davies
Barbara began painting historical homes and landscapes in New England when she was a child. She studied art in Boston, where she was influenced by realist artists Wyeth, Hopper and Estes. She graduated with high distinction from the California College of Art in Oakland, CA, and earned teaching credentials in education and art at Saint Mary’s College. In addition, she earned a degree in adult education from UCSC. Many of Barbara’s paintings are inspired by her travels in Europe, where she is intrigued by the faded advertisements on the walls of aging buildings. We are reminded of a past when life seemed less frantic - a time when one dressed for dinner, shared a glass of wine over a leisurely meal, or spent the afternoon bicycling or touring the countryside. Her canvasses capture the interplay of light, shadow, and color in courtyards, cafes, and gardens, where the past blends so easily with the present. Hidden side streets, passageways, shuttered windows and garden paths invite the viewer to pause and reflect.
Starting with sketches on canvas on location or from photographs, Barbara builds up thin layers of translucent oil paint, striving for a luminous quality. She takes the real and pushes it to the edge, so that her paintings, on close inspection, might reveal a warmly lit room behind partly closed curtains, a tables set for dinner through an open cafe door, or an assortment of antique books and magazines through a store front window. Many of Barbara's paintings hang in galleries, and in private and corporate collections throughout the world.
For more information about art classes please email Barbara at: bdaviesart@gmail.com