Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Coleen B Barnhart. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Coleen B thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
I dreamed of this job for as long as I can remember! My mother says I could identify every color of the rainbow by pointing before I could even talk. When I was only two years old I started saying, “I want to be an artist like Grandmother!” (who was a landscape painter), but throughout my youth it seemed like an impossible dream to me. Although I was constantly doodling in my school books, and even painted a few commissioned portraits in acrylic for family and friends in my early teens, I did not think of art as a possible vocation until my late teens. By then I had been introduced to a local artist, Katie Garner, who tutored me in painting and started my portrait painting career by connecting me with clients. I had no doubt that this is what I wanted to do!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
As a portrait painter I am passionate about providing my clients with an excellent likeness using the most archival methods possible. From the moment I first lift the palette and brush, I want every painting I create to become my masterpiece, therefore I pour my heart into my work and go above and beyond to reach that goal. This involves researching methods and materials before purchasing my art supplies. It also includes careful planning, such as taking quality reference photos and arranging a sitting with my portrait subject so I can paint a study from life before I begin the work. I try to capture a facial expression when my subject has forgotten they are posing – a moment of just being themselves. I took up plein air painting landscapes on the advice of master portrait painters. They told me it would enrich the backgrounds in my portraits and sharpen my skills for painting quickly as I race against changing light and weather conditions. I fell in love with it! Wherever I go, I am always on the lookout for a scenic spot to set up my easel.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
It gives me so much pleasure to make every portrait the best representation of that person that I possibly can! I feel so honored to design a piece of art that will last for generations. The thought that this painting may be around many years from now inspires me to paint for those future viewers as well. My role is to point out the beauty of God’s creation in whatever I see, such as the perfection of a child’s little hands and feet, or the way color and light are woven throughout a landscape. As I work, I think of the pleasure the Creator takes in fashioning every such detail for us. The thrill of plein air painting for me lies in that hope that THIS time I will capture that scene! I cannot do it perfectly, but knowing that I am striving for an impossible goal frees me from beating myself up about it. I can simply breathe in the beauty and enjoy the process.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
One of the most rewarding aspects of being an artist for me is the knowledge that I helped shape another person’s vision of the world. I feel compelled to point out the overwhelming beauty that I see to others, so it is gratifying when they “get it,” and are as delighted by the sight as I am. This is the drive behind every brushstroke I make. One of my friends just recounted the time that I opened her eyes to see color. We were looking out over a lake when I asked her what color the water was. She said “gray,” and I could not help but point out that the highlights on the ripples were pale yellow and the shadows were lavender. She saw what I meant immediately and never forgot that moment! That was rewarding for me to hear!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.coleenbarnhart.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coleenbarnhart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coleen.barnhart/
- Other: https://www.otbfineart.com/portraits