The Gallery @ Barr Photographics announces the fall installment of the Corner
Gallery’s 2021 exhibition series with a collection of observational or “painted from life” oil works entitled "In The Moment” by an art educator and award winning, Johnson City, Tennessee artist, Donna Bird. Donna was born and raised in Olive Branch, Mississippi a border town with Tennessee where she grew up dreaming of being an artist!. Donna holds a BFA in Graphic Design’86, from Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, with post graduate studies from local and nationally recognized artists: Tom Root, Peggy Root, Seth Haverkamp, Dawn Whitelaw, Zoey Frank, Nicolas Uribe, Robert Lilberace. In her personal biography, Donna states, “I always wanted to be a painter and it was my minor in college. I never really stopped painting but was mostly focused on my family while my children were at home. I have been married to Michael Bird for thirty two years and have three adult children, twin boys, Heath and Corey and one daughter Eryn. We moved to Johnson City from Memphis Tennessee in 2007. I returned to painting about 10 years ago and really got serious about in 2013. I realized I needed to paint most every day to achieve the skill level I was striving for. I have painted consistently since 2013.” Donna teaches art for children and adults at The McKinney Center in Jonesborough, Tennessee as well as adult oil painting at the Kingsport Art Guild in Kingsport, Tennessee.
In her artist’s statement, Donna reveals, “I am a realist painter who uses traditional oil painting methods to interpret contemporary subjects. My subject matter covers the disciplines of still life, landscape and portraiture. I prefer to paint directly from life and am particularly interested in pushing the nuances of color in my subjects. The colors are juxtaposed to create atmosphere and convey my response to the moment. My work is influenced by both modern day and traditional painting masters.”
"In The Moment” will be celebrated with a reception and demonstration of technique by Donna Bird, to which the public is cordially invited, on Friday, 15 October from 7 - 9:00 PM in The Gallery @ Barr Photographics, 152 E. Main Street, Abingdon, Virginia. "In The Moment” will hang, and be offered for sale, 01 October through 30, November 2021. The Gallery @ Barr Photographics is housed in the Greenway Trigg Building, located in the heart of Abingdon’s main street historic district. Please call 276- 628-1486 or visit http://barrphotographics.com for further information.