Opening Reception: Saturday, May 10 at 4:00 PM
We’re thrilled to welcome Vermont-based artist Elly Barksdale to the gallery this spring with her newest exhibit, On Becoming. A Smith College graduate and lifelong Vermonter, Elly draws inspiration from the people and places of her home state, channeling its natural beauty and quiet strength into her artwork.
Join us for the artist reception on Saturday, May 10 at 4:00 PM to meet Elly, view the exhibit, and enjoy wine-and-cheese-style refreshments in a relaxed gallery setting.
Born and raised in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, Elly Barksdale is an artist who primarily works in oils and ceramics, but thrives when working in many mediums – shifting from painting to sculpting, drawing to printing, and, of course, the occasional Halloween costume for her kids in cardboard and duct tape! With subject matter often leaning toward the human figure, Elly aims to connect her viewers to the grander experience of being human and inspire feelings of connectedness to humankind and the world around us. Depicting light is always a pivotal part of her process and composition choices and her painting style is full of color and texture, embracing the showing of process and brushstrokes and always using the biggest brush for the task. Being an art teacher at Lyndon Institute gives Elly plenty of opportunity to explore mediums and processes with the students which sometimes lead to new techniques in her own personal art as well.
artist statement
Through the creation of this collection, even considering the tight deadlines and busy schedule, my heart has been lightened – my workspace a sanctuary of escapism in a time when much is very heavy. No, not everything, or maybe even most, about “becoming” is light, but in focusing on youth in these images – in falling in love with all of these sweet faces – the potential for good and hope felt palpable.
In this chosen theme focused on becoming I have felt a lovely freedom to play with the form of portraiture, in instances stretching the bounds my brain often constrains it with. Playing in and out of the bounds of portraiture felt required in order to better enlighten the crux of my exploration – showing moments of discovery, curiosity, sensory experience, expression and emotion that
I hope help the viewer feel a sense of shared experience and connectedness with greater humanity.
The scarcity of time in which I had to create led to a lovely realization discovered through necessity. I only engaged with my favorite parts of creating (a sort of giving in to my own inner child), because that was all I had time for. I did not have time to stretch and prime canvases. I did not have time to carefully paint backgrounds in oil. I did not have time for anything secondary and thus poured my heart and energy into my primary subjects – only the most essential. I have never created like that before and through this process learned the invaluable
lesson that it is okay! Eureka! Freedom! I believe I can see the joy and ease-of-heart in the mark making.
I hope this collection brings you your own sense of lightness no matter what the weights you carry might be.
With love from my heart to yours,
Elly Barksdale