Response to Shawn Barber

This week I looked at the work of Shawn Barber. Like Alyssa Monks, he works in large-scale oils depicting mostly portraits. The two shows of work I saw were the tattooed series and the doll series. The tattoo portrait series consist of portraits of the tattoo artists he works with. Different styles are depicted ranging from very expressive and transformational, to formal portraits. Each does a very good job of catching a likeness through subtle exaggeration. Movement is depicted with multiple representations of the same object in the picture plane, capturing an ethereal or otherworldly essence. This movement was very interesting to look at and made the portraits more engaging. Other motifs that appear in this series are a focus on hands or tattooing instruments. Both of these compliment each other and are rendered in high detail. The rendering itself is remarkable. All of the figures in Barber’s paintings have tattoos that cover much of their body. Each tattoo is rendered in great detail with accurate perspective. The only exception is when the tattoo transcends the figure and takes on a life of it’s own. These paintings in particular reveal Barber’s creativity and technical skill. The doll series had its merit as well. Though I personally wasn’t too interested in the subject matter, everything was well rendered. These paintings were focused around different dolls in different states of alteration and/or disrepair. There were a select few that interested me more than the rest. These involved skulls sized and proportioned to the dolls while super imposing the doll’s face over it. They were slightly offset in a way that made me look closer. The two forms meld together to form an interesting monster. They blend in a way that is both believable and makes you wonder how it was possible. Looking even further, I found that he had a very inspiring attitude which he portrayed on his website. It was really nice seeing him communicate with his audience in such a constructive manner.

Definitely check out this guy’s gallery and read the FAQ. You won’t regret it.