Contemporary Floral Art

Artist Bio
Born and raised in Virginia Beach, Va., Barbara Rush grew up with a deep connection
to animals. As a child she raised and released everything from rabbits and squirrels to
opossums and birds. At the age of 12, while at Girl Scout Camp, she fell in love with
horses and has ridden, drawn, and painted them ever since.

She holds a Bachelor of Fine Art from Old Dominion University (VA) and a Master’s in
Advertising (Design) from Syracuse University (NY). With over 20 years experience as
a graphic designer, her art is heavily influenced by lines, grids, and shapes. Her love of
finding shapes and forms within her subject matter is easily discernible within every
painting. She creates elegant outlines of horses, florals, and trees, then fills them with
heavily gridded shapes, or curves, that in the same moment break apart and hold the
subject matter together. Life is molded from lines, capturing the essence of its energy
on the canvas.

“I have been an artist all my life in one form or another. But, in 2005 it really
consumed me. I was perusing art at the High Museum and had the opportunity
to view a few cubist paintings up close. I was fascinated by their use of line
and form. Since I have been drawing and riding horses since childhood it was
a natural subject matter for me to explore new territory with, so I began playing
with geometric shapes within the body of the horse.” ~ Barbara Rush

In November 2006, Ms. Rush completed three giant red paintings, the first in
the series entitled, “The Tao of Equus,” which translates to The Way of the
Horse. Learn more...

Art Resume
I have been in a variety of galleries and shows throughout my life.
If you would like to see what I have been doing since 2000 Click here...

Artist Statement
My paintings were inspired by cubism and colorists such as Chagall. Learn more...

Education
Kempsville High School
Va. Beach, Virginia

Bachelor of Fine Arts
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, Virginia

Master of Arts, Summa Cum Laude
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York

Artist Bio continued...

Many people describe my work as having a modern cubist or geometric style. I typically find an image of a horse that “speaks” to me. Then I draw it…maybe enhancing some direction or flow of its movement. I look at how the horse’s muscles are moving and the pace it is going and see how I can deconstruct the body into shapes that are relevant to its motion. After I have the drawing down, I will work on the color combination on paper until I find one that resonates with me. I then begin the painting process, layering in the background and tweaking lines as I go. Many people think that I mask off the hard edges in my paintings in order to get the lines straight. In reality the lines are all just as straight as my hand allows. I believe that it helps that I once worked as a sign painter who did hand lettering before vinyl became all the rage.

You might say that I have had a bit of a long and winding road to finding my career as an artist. I grew up drawing and painting and even went so far as to paint a mural in my bedroom as a teenager, which my mom hasn’t yet painted over. My parents were supportive of developing my talent and so I took drawing lessons after school from Wilbur Chadwick. My High School art teacher, Robin Clair Parton, was awesome. She helped guide me as the art editor of our high school magazine “Montage”.

I always won ribbons in art shows but I didn’t really know what to do with my talent. I bounced around in a variety of art-related jobs, hand painting signs, and designing t-shirts for screen printers, before discovering graphic design via a bingo paper. I received my BFA from Old Dominion University (1989) then decided to take it to the next level and applied to graduate school at Syracuse University for their advertising program. I went in to the master’s program on probation because my grades really weren’t good enough to get into the program. I then graduated with honors (summa cum laude 1994) and soon found a job at Lehigh Safety Shoes in Endicott, NY as their Advertising Manager.

After four years of living in a small town and suffering through whiteouts, blizzards, horse back riding lessons in icy arenas, and a nasty corporate takeover of Lehigh – I decided that I would be better off in a large city with a large variety of businesses, rolling hills, green grass, trees, with a low risk of natural disasters, and a strong art community. I found Atlanta in Places Rated Almanac and moved in 1998.

I am now very fortunate to be a co-owner of Synergy Fine Art, in Historic Roswell, as that area is becoming an art destination spot, just north of Atlanta. Most of us refer to Historic Roswell as the Art District as it has about 8 art galleries within a two mile radius. You can stop by Synergy Fine Art any Saturday from noon to 5:00 pm, or check the Synergy Fine Art web site for current hours. Synergy Fine Art on Webb Street is also part of Alive After 5, in Historic Roswell…so come hang out with the artists every third Thursday of the month April through October!

Art Resume:

2011 - 2015
Gallery Representation
- Synergy Fine Art, 26 Webb Street Suite 3, Historic Roswell, 30075
(open to the public every Saturday 12 pm to 5 pm)
- Equine Divine, Aiken S.C.

Group Shows
- Arts Clayton Juried Show
- 30th Annual Arts in the Heart of Augusta, GA
- Barefoot in the Park - Merit Award Winner
- Art on the Creek, John’s Creek, GA
- Alpharetta Streetfest Art Festival, GA
- GDCTA Awards Gala, Equestrian Event, GA
- Francisco Farm Art Festival, Kentucky
- Castleberry Hills - Granite Room (the Big House Gallery)
- Alive After Five Gallery Crawl with Live music third Thursday of every month through October

2010
Gallery Representation
- Synergy Fine Art, 26 Webb Street Suite 3, Historic Roswell, 30075
(open to the public every Saturday 12 pm to 5 pm)
- Equine Divine, Aiken S.C.

Group Shows
- 25th Annual Sandy Springs Art Festival, GA
- 30th Annual Arts in the Heart of Augusta, GA
- Chattahoochee Hills Land Rover USEA Championships
- Art on the Creek, John’s Creek, GA
- Alpharetta Streetfest Art Festival, GA
- GDCTA Awards Gala, Equestrian Event, GA
- Francisco Farm Art Festival, Kentucky
- Equine Art Shows at Chukkar Farm, GA
- Alive After Five Gallery Crawl with Live music third Thursday of every month through October

2009
Gallery Representation
- Synergy Fine Art, 26 Webb Street Suite 3, Historic Roswell, 30075
(open to the public every Saturday 12 pm to 5 pm)

Group Shows
- Roswell Cultural Arts Center
- Alpharetta Streetfest Art Festival
- GDCTA Awards Gala, Equestrian Event
- Charish the Future Gala, Furniture Bank of Atlanta
- Alive After Five Gallery Crawl with Live music third Thursday of every month through October

2008
Gallery Representation
- Two Doors Art: Studio & Gallery, Historic Roswell
(open to the public every Saturday 11:30 am to 4:30 pm)
Group Shows
- Alpharetta Streetfest Art Festival Winner: Spirit of the Show Award!
- "A Horse of A Different Color" Art Show Opening at Two Doors Art Studio and Gallery
- GDCTA Awards Gala, Equestrian Event
- Charish the Future Gala, Furniture Bank of Atlanta
- Alive After Five Gallery Crawl with Live music third Thursday of every month through October

2007
Gallery Representation
- Art Space International, Atlanta, GA
Solo Shows
- "A Horse of A Different Color" Art Show Opening at Pan Asia Bistro and Once & Again Books
Group Shows
- Alpharetta Art Streetfest, Alpharetta, GA

2006
Gallery Representation
- Art Space International, Atlanta, GA
- Syncronicity, Roswell, GA
- Oh My Goddard Gallery, Perimeter Mall, Dunwoody, GA
- Unity North Church, Marietta, GA

2005
Gallery Representation
- Li Brothers Studio Gallery, Northpoint Mall, Alpharetta, GA
- Unity North Church, Marietta, GA
Group Shows
- Roswell Art on the Square, RPS Booth, Roswell, GA

2004
Gallery Representation
- Li Brothers Studio Gallery, Northpoint Mall, Alpharetta, GA
- Atlanta Artist Center, Atlanta, GA
Group Shows
- Black Tie Cafe, Dunwoody, GA
- Unity North Church, Marietta, GA

2003
Gallery Representation
- Atlanta Artist Center, Atlanta, GA

2002
Gallery Representation
- Raiford Gallery, Roswell, GA
- Unity North Church, Marietta, GA
Group Shows
- Raiford Gallery Open Air Show, Roswell, GA

2001
Gallery Representation
- Raiford Gallery, Roswell, GA
- Unity North Church, Marietta, GA
Group Shows
- Raiford Gallery Open Air Show, Roswell, GA
- Roswell Photographic Society Show, Roswell, GA
- Roswell Art on the Square, Roswell, GA

2000
Gallery Representation
- Raiford Gallery, Roswell, GA

Additional:
• Adjunct Professor, Atlanta Art Institute, 2002
• Semifinalist, Syracuse University Woman’s Athletics
Logo Design Contest, Syracuse University, 1995
• Honorable Mention, AEJMC logo Design contest, 1995
• Judge for the Empire State School Press Association
Art and Literary Magazine Design Contest, 1995
• Graduate Assistantship Award, Syracuse University, 1995

Artist Statement

Paintings

"The Tao of Equus Series was inspired by my love of horses and several cubist paintings and drawings on display in the High Museum back in 2005. Struck by the essense of the cubists' accomplishment of capturing movement on paper, I was compelled to see what the structure of the horse would look like as it shifted with each position of its body. I immediately began drawing restructured horses and playing with complementary curves and angles within the form of the horse. I played with the muscle movement in relationship to the speed of the gait and based my grid on the combination. " ~ Barbara Rush

Artist Statement
Barbara Rush is a very colorful and structured acrylic artist. Her work has been influenced by cubists such as Robert Delaunay and colorists like Marc Chagall, but her style is uniquely her own. She creates elegant outlines of horses, florals, and trees, then fills them with heavily gridded shapes, or curves, that in the same moment break apart and hold the subject matter together. Life is molded from lines, capturing the essence of its energy on the canvas.

Barbara is originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia and was educated in fine art and graphic design. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Art from Old Dominion University (VA) and a Master’s in Advertising (Design) from Syracuse University (NY). As a graphic designer, her art is heavily influenced by lines, grids, and shapes. Her love of finding shapes and forms within her subject matter is easily discernible within every painting she creates.

In her series of tree paintings, she has found places from which the forms can escape into the environment via gaps and swirls. Barbara’s imagination carries the energy of the tree into the earth, within the tree’s roots, then works its way up the trunk into the branches, wrapping the leaves into buoyant treetops.

All in all, Ms. Rush’s unique way of connecting with her subject matter, combined with her unique style and analytical analysis of interlocking shapes, makes her paintings resonate with vitality and significance in the art world.

Glassware Photograms

I have been experimenting with photograms since 1989 when I was introduced to the basic photogram technique by one of my college professors. Originally created by ManRay, in the 1920's, this technique was developed outside of the darkroom using sunlight and photo paper. Objects were placed on the paper, exposed to light, then the paper was developed and showed basically the outline of the object that had been placed on the paper.

The Electric Colors Series takes photograms to the next level and is a technique that I developed using transparent objects, multiple filters and dodging techniques in the black and white darkroom. Once I have my level one images on paper, I then take them into the digital darkroom and colorize them to accentuate the light as it is refracting and reflecting out of the objects.