John Barkley

About John Barkley

My practice has been consistent, ongoing, and persistent as I have pursued various genres, and experimented with various medium since 1996. I have tried just about everything that can be done in painting, from translucent thin washes on canvas to the integration of 3d objects on board. I have drawn, sculpted, and made sculpture installations and camera based art but I am known as a painter. My process involves both experimentation and inner search. I have shown my work in commercial and public galleries in a local, national, and international context.

Over the past 23 years I have created a diverse and massive amount of work, having dedicated my life to my practice, therefore making life style, work, and study choices that align with my practice. As a consequence I have an extensive exhibition record and have sought out areas of study that coincide with the process and content found in my work including the completion of a master's degree and thesis.

Presently, my research and artistic practice is still essentially about human consciousness and dialogue with material. However, recently, I have been drawn to the use of abstraction as a means of connecting with the divine despite existing in a secular and post modern society. This transcendent existence within, often referred to as the self and also called the soul, is my conduit for artistic and spiritual expression.