Page 10 - The Enso Circle Artists-in-Residence Exhibition Catalog, December 2022

About

the BARBARA FRIEDSON

Artist &

the

Work When I was a teen I worked in my parents’ lady to wear store in a small
town in Texas surrounded by hats, shoes, clothing, and fabric with textures,
shapes and colors. This was the first art museum I saw at a young age.
Receiving a sewing machine as a child allowed me to create doll clothes,
puppets, and much later art quilts.

Now, enjoying exploration of abstracts allows me to paint intuitively.
Loosing myself in the movement of the paint or sanding through a previous
layer or adding texture leads to curiosity. A palette knife is my favorite tool
to use, which allows me to feel the surface to scrape and create different
shapes with different edges. All the above brings joy not knowing what will
be until the end when I refine the design to tell a story or an emotion.

The book,”I Will Not Die an Unlived Life,” by Dawna Markova mentioned
the Hebrew word Tikkum OLam which means repair, improve or rebuild.
After being involved in a school shooting. I have been taunted, needing to
repair my soul, so I joined the group to create art. My torn edges signify
need to repair. The collage pieces give me support to heal while using a
limited palette gives harmony. Using a knife to scrape fear away reveals
layers which give support to the next. Circles mean wholeness, keeping the
journey of healing on going.

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