
The Artist
Barbara
Sykes was born in Doncaster in 1944. She worked for many years
as a textile designer for two Manchester studios. She later
combined raising three children with freelance design.
In 1989
she returned to full time education and in 1993 she graduated
from Bretton, Leeds University with a B.A Hons Degree in fine
art. Also in that year, she was selected to be a studio holder
with the Dean Clough artists in Halifax.
She has
held workshops, lectured and participated in open studios. She
has exhibited extensively in both municipal and private galleries.
Her work is in public and private collections in the UK, France,
America, Slovenia & Malaysia.
Barbara's
work is considered meditation on the 'human condition' from
birth to death. Of her work Barbara says:
"By
pouring and staining the paper the paint is allowed to ebb
and flow organically, suggesting the visceral, never dogmatic
but rather evocative of our own uncertain relationship with
our own bodies."
As apparently
simple statements, her work sets up a duality, whereby on one
hand, it clearly describes its subject whilst on the other,
undermines the same subjects stability through nuanced and intelligent
drawing.
She uses
water-based paints and charcoal as her medium.
Barbara
graduated from Bradford University in 2005 with an M.A. in Printmaking.
Barbara
can be contacted at:
The Hollows,
Shore Edge,
Shaw, Oldham OL2 8LJ.
By telephone
at: 01706
846 235.
By mobile
phone at: 07887 950 946.
By email:
enquiries@barbarasykes.com
More of
Barbara's work can be seen on her website at: http://www.barbarasykes.com.