Within the fertile, creative imagination of Earle Barr, there exists a seemingly boundless curiosity. Underlying all his work, one
senses a kind of restless alchemy. Throughout his long career, this ongoing amalgamation of explosive colour, expressive
design, and assured technique have conspired to produce works of tremendous impact and terrific diversity.
Taken as a whole - his artistic lineage might seem to embody a disparate, even sporadic collection of genre and media were it
not for a thread of continuity that runs through it all. That continuity lies in his chosen subject - the natural world. In forty years
of activity, Earle has only ever sought to champion that one, albeit vast, subject. Along the way, he has cut a wide and
decidedly individual path through the visual arts - always ready to move on - always in search of something new. However,
throughout the journey - it is nature that has continued to provide the ongoing inspiration.
Lily Flowered Tulip
woolpainting detail
In his latest genre - the "Woolpainting" - we see the distillation of all that has come before, for it incorporates elements of
painting, draughtsmanship, graphic art, and photography. It is this capacity to apply techniques drawn from such a wide range
of disciplines that lends the Woolpaintings their cohesive power. They do, in a sense, represent both a summation and an apex.
Inevitably - it's the sheer, unbridled freedom of expression in these new works that first strikes the viewer. On one level, this is
deceptive, for their apparent spontaneity belies the long study and detailed preparation that precedes the undertaking of each
piece, not to mention the months that each will require to complete. There is a refreshing holistic quality to the tapestries, an
openness, at once semi-abstract, even free form, and yet intricately detailed and highly realized - a balance within abandon.
The tapestries present us with a painterly vision to be sure, and yet, because their
medium - wool - is such an inherently textural,
tactile material, the play of three-dimensional effects that Earle is able to achieve are quite different from those of the more
conventional mediums of oil and watercolour. These are works that literally leap out from the frame towards the viewer; there
is an almost molecular intensity about them. They speak of optimism, of joy. Unequivocally, they celebrate creation and the
renewal of life.
Tulips
woolpainting detail
About the Artist
It is said that an artist is defined by his craft. If so, even the most cursory glance at the oeuvre of Earle Barr would suggest a
psyche composed of many personalities, for in it, we see the work of many men. Indeed, artists as a whole will tend to fall into
one of two camps: those who have a singular goal, focusing on a particular task or mode of expression and refining it
throughout their career, and, those who insist upon pursuing everything. Earle Barr falls firmly into the latter camp. At one time
or another, he has tackled most areas within the visual arts, relying in all cases upon an innate sense of composition and a gift
for draughtsmanship, a gift first noticed while he was still in primary school. Bundled off to art school at an early age, in many
ways his future path was already set.
Earle Barr grew up in the Toronto of the 1940s. His natural ability to draw led him into the field of graphic arts where he
would stay for some twenty-nine years. This was followed by a long period working in the audio-visual field. Finally, in the
late 1980s, he was able to retire and pursue his craft full-time. In 1992, he and his wife and fellow artist, Frances, left Toronto
for the cottage country of Muskoka, a natural idyll two hours north of the city.
The longed-for abandonment of urban life
proved a crucial turning point in both their artistic lives. The peace, serenity, and astonishing beauty of their new wilderness
home would soon inspire Earle, yet again, to take on a new medium: the
woolpainting. Earlier in life, painting, watercolours,
and oils had occupied his attention and always there was photography, both in the business world, and as an extension of his
deep appreciation for the natural world. Fine art photography has earned him many awards in both nature and pictorial
categories in salons, local, regional, and international.
Through his work, it is hoped, that the viewer will get some impression of what he has been able to achieve. Admittedly,
only in the flesh, or the weave, as it were, can they ever truly be done justice. Those interested in purchasing works or
obtaining further information may reach the artist at the address provided below. Mr. Barr produces, at best, several
woolpaintings a year, and therefore availability will always be limited. It appears only logical therefore to provide a small
quantity of limited edition prints. It is intended that this web page will remain
current with regards to his most recent output
...enjoy!
Lagos of Old Portugal
photograph
Volcano Coleus
photograph
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