Rai Barker

Ive been thrown or guilded? into working in abstraction for just over a  year, it began just before 2021 open studios, perhaps because of changing world in lockdown? This is the first of three large cancases that developed at the beginning of the 2021 I do a lot of sketching  from imagination and also from  things in life. I fill up sketch books very quickly.

This image began to apppear on the canvas after an initial layering of just colour and contrast.  Forms began appearing that i found intresting then later when i stood away after a while i began seeing this eye like section - I didnt want to make it too life like as i like the viewer to find her/his own response.  Even mentioning it? As some people dont see an eye at all?

My shapes and forms have more previously all developed from nature, i still feel there is a strong sense of movement and flowing forms from the land influencing the brush, certain forms seem to repeat themsleves.... strong forms like the land.

Ive drawn and painted all my life.  Spent 6 years at art college, inc masters degree in design from.RCA.

We all look at the world in a different way, i enjoy the Natural world and much of my work is a reflection of this love of Nature in some way.  My imagination also wants to get imvolved, bringing things into more focus that are tiny or not noticable to others.

I frequently bring into a painting a memory or symbol from a life experience something that has meaning to me or something shines out that points to me 'Seen' from another perspective.

The direction of my paintings are often combines the Real and the Imagined.

Currently 2022 ive been drawn into, (haha),  Abstraction,  i put it that way because it wasnt exactly a conscious decision its been more a desire to be more liberated and expressive in my work,  Also as a way of being less predictable  having freedom of choices in method.   At the moment nearly all the paintngs ive done this year have been abstract orientated, I dont know if this will continue or give me perhaps more tools for setting mood or facilitate emotional expression I still enjoy merging forms of reality and abstration,