About

I am a Seattle-based artist, mostly working with acrylic and collage. For me, art making is all about process and a dialogue with what’s coming out and onto the canvas. The launch point is either a vague concept, image, or compelling linguistic phrase that has caught my attention. I rarely have a sense of how a piece will turn out–I see it as an opportunity to let go of the distractions and obligations of daily life, and to relinquish the impulse to control outcomes.

Although I don’t typically choose a theme, what tends to shows up is about the movement of the subconscious, and how it secretly influences and colors my moment-to-moment experience of self and the external world. There is deep mystery there, and I love watching what the work uncovers while interacting with those hidden, internal phenomena. It often feels as though I’m merely following along, a hands-off-the-wheel passenger. I may have made the initial marks on the canvas, but after that the work takes on a life of its own, of which I am a willing and grateful participant.

bharbine@gmail.com