Harry Barr: Difference between revisions
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He studied at the [[Westminster School of Art]] where he was taught by the artist [[Walter Sickert]] and gained his diploma in 1915. Sickert remained an artistic mentor and a friend until he died in 1942. He was also good friends from childhood with [[David Bomberg]] (they both grew up in [[Whitechapel]] in the [[East End of London]]) until Bomberg's death in 1957. |
He studied at the [[Westminster School of Art]] where he was taught by the artist [[Walter Sickert]] and gained his diploma in 1915. Sickert remained an artistic mentor and a friend until he died in 1942. He was also good friends from childhood with [[David Bomberg]] (they both grew up in [[Whitechapel]] in the [[East End of London]]) until Bomberg's death in 1957. |
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Harry Barr's first exhibition in London was held in a [[Bloomsbury]] gallery in January 1920. Later in that year he moved to Paris. In Paris he was |
Harry Barr's first exhibition in London was held in a [[Bloomsbury]] gallery in January 1920. Later in that year he moved to Paris. In Paris he was befriended by the sculptor [[Ossip Zadkine]] who helped him find a studio. He had his first exhibition of oil paintings in Paris at the Galerie Mouninou on the Rue Marbeuf. |
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Watercolour became his main medium around 1939. He focused on painting nature. Among his most frequent subjects were trees that often took on an [[Anthropomorphism|anthropromorphic]] character. He painted all manner of [[landscape art|landscapes]] and [[marine art|seascapes]], always painting outside regardless of the weather. He also had a great fondness for animals, spending hours drawing at [[London Zoo]]. A particular favourite, [[pigs]] were often the focus of a painting expedition - he was not shy of getting into the sty to paint them<ref>"How to paint pigs", April 29th 1966, The Bucks Free Press</ref>. |
Watercolour became his main medium around 1939. He focused on painting nature. Among his most frequent subjects were trees that often took on an [[Anthropomorphism|anthropromorphic]] character. He painted all manner of [[landscape art|landscapes]] and [[marine art|seascapes]], always painting outside regardless of the weather. He also had a great fondness for animals, spending hours drawing at [[London Zoo]]. A particular favourite, [[pigs]] were often the focus of a painting expedition - he was not shy of getting into the sty to paint them<ref>"How to paint pigs", April 29th 1966, The Bucks Free Press</ref>. |
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He had various exhibitions in London, one notably at the Kaplan gallery in 1965. This exhibition caught the attention of art critic [[Max Wykes-Joyce]] whose write up in the [[ArtReview|Arts Review]]<ref>1965, Arts Review, Vol 20, No 4</ref> stated that Harry Barr's "work can be compared with the best of British watercolourists, past or present". In the same year an exhibition of |
He had various exhibitions in London, one notably at the Kaplan gallery in 1965. This exhibition caught the attention of art critic [[Max Wykes-Joyce]] whose write up in the [[ArtReview|Arts Review]]<ref>1965, Arts Review, Vol 20, No 4</ref> stated that Harry Barr's "work can be compared with the best of British watercolourists, past or present". In the same year an exhibition of 60 paintings was held at Friendship House in Moscow. This was recorded as the first one man show of a British artist in the USSR<ref>"Harry paints his way to East-West success", March 8th 1965, The Evening News and Star</ref>. The exhibition was well received and was extended from an original two to six weeks, showing also in Leningrad and Minsk. Other exhibitions in London include those at the [[October Gallery]] and posthumously at the Catto Gallery in 1990. |
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Harry travelled and painted all over the British Isles both on commission and for pleasure. One particular commission came from the Crown to paint the reclamation of [[The Wash]]. He developed close ties with this area and continued to visit and paint there<ref>"Paintings at Lynn in psychedelic colours", April 28th 1971, Eastern Evening News</ref>. |
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| ⚫ | Harry Barr resisted pressure to join any of the English art movements. |
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| ⚫ | Harry Barr resisted pressure to join any of the English art movements. He regarded painting as a necessary job, something he was compelled to do <ref>"Harry Barr, artist with a frank philosophy", August 6th 1971, South Western Star</ref>. He was a colourful character described as the "[[Cassius Clay]] of art" in the [[Daily Mail]]<ref>"The Cassius Clay of art finds fame at 70", October 6th 1966, The Daily Mail</ref>. He continued painting until his death in 1987 at the age of 91. |
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== References == |
== References == |
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Revision as of 22:26, 24 November 2010
Harry Barr was born in 1896 in London. Throughout his long life he was a passionate artist. He produced a large body of work, the majority in watercolour.
He studied at the Westminster School of Art where he was taught by the artist Walter Sickert and gained his diploma in 1915. Sickert remained an artistic mentor and a friend until he died in 1942. He was also good friends from childhood with David Bomberg (they both grew up in Whitechapel in the East End of London) until Bomberg's death in 1957.
Harry Barr's first exhibition in London was held in a Bloomsbury gallery in January 1920. Later in that year he moved to Paris. In Paris he was befriended by the sculptor Ossip Zadkine who helped him find a studio. He had his first exhibition of oil paintings in Paris at the Galerie Mouninou on the Rue Marbeuf.
Watercolour became his main medium around 1939. He focused on painting nature. Among his most frequent subjects were trees that often took on an anthropromorphic character. He painted all manner of landscapes and seascapes, always painting outside regardless of the weather. He also had a great fondness for animals, spending hours drawing at London Zoo. A particular favourite, pigs were often the focus of a painting expedition - he was not shy of getting into the sty to paint them[1].
He had various exhibitions in London, one notably at the Kaplan gallery in 1965. This exhibition caught the attention of art critic Max Wykes-Joyce whose write up in the Arts Review[2] stated that Harry Barr's "work can be compared with the best of British watercolourists, past or present". In the same year an exhibition of 60 paintings was held at Friendship House in Moscow. This was recorded as the first one man show of a British artist in the USSR[3]. The exhibition was well received and was extended from an original two to six weeks, showing also in Leningrad and Minsk. Other exhibitions in London include those at the October Gallery and posthumously at the Catto Gallery in 1990.
Harry travelled and painted all over the British Isles both on commission and for pleasure. One particular commission came from the Crown to paint the reclamation of The Wash. He developed close ties with this area and continued to visit and paint there[4].
Harry Barr resisted pressure to join any of the English art movements. He regarded painting as a necessary job, something he was compelled to do [5]. He was a colourful character described as the "Cassius Clay of art" in the Daily Mail[6]. He continued painting until his death in 1987 at the age of 91.
References
- ^ "How to paint pigs", April 29th 1966, The Bucks Free Press
- ^ 1965, Arts Review, Vol 20, No 4
- ^ "Harry paints his way to East-West success", March 8th 1965, The Evening News and Star
- ^ "Paintings at Lynn in psychedelic colours", April 28th 1971, Eastern Evening News
- ^ "Harry Barr, artist with a frank philosophy", August 6th 1971, South Western Star
- ^ "The Cassius Clay of art finds fame at 70", October 6th 1966, The Daily Mail