David Barber

Artistic background

David Barber was born in 1968, and is an English realist painter who utilises techniques handed down from the old masters. His carefully crafted paintings are rich in form, colour and detail, bringing a contemporary feel to traditional genre. David gained a degree in fine art and worked for several years as a commercial artist and illustrator before embarking on a teaching career. He always nurtured a longing to be able to paint for a living, and only in 2021 did he make the momentous decision to quit teaching and start painting in earnest to make it his new career.

Generally, he prefers to paint from life, ‘en plein air’ or from still life arrangements in his studio, because he feels this gives more of a direct connection with his subject matter. David feels that painting from life provides a richer insight into the colour and form of the subject, in a way that a photograph simply can’t do. He does occasionally use photographic reference material for studio commissions where direct reference is impossible, but these paintings also draw extensively from his many hours studying nature directly.

Artist’s Statement
During the years leading up to my career change I tended to paint outdoors ‘en plein air’, something I still love to do. The paintings become a record of a day and when I look at them I get a strong sense of the moment and place in which they were created.

After a few early commissions I quickly realised that I didn’t enjoy painting from photographs. So, when it wasn’t possible to paint outdoors I began to set up small still life’s in my studio. I had never painted still life before, but very quickly found a new love for it. There is such a sense of peace in still life painting and I find the whole process very meditative. It sounds very pretentious to say, but I do feel as though I have now found my calling!

The Flemish still life artists, including modern masters such as Henk Helmantel, have been inspirational to me. I am fascinated by artists who are able to recreate light and space within a painting and I strive for this in my own work. I feel that the still life genre offers continually new possibilities and although many of my paintings feature traditional subjects, such as fruit and ceramics, they can be presented with an aesthetic that is totally modern.

Process
I paint solely in oils using traditional techniques. I use a fine ‘portrait’ grade linen, which after being stretched is sized twice using rabbit skin glue. This seals the linen and prevents any damage that may be caused by contact with the paint itself. Once this has dried I then prime the linen three times with a ground, which is then sanded lightly to give a fabulous surface on which to paint.

Before setting up the still life I’ve usually spent a few days mulling over ideas. I often have a strong idea of the feel I want from the set up even before I’ve selected the items that will be included. It may be that I want to create a light and muted image, or something richer and highly chromatic etc. I don’t know where these feelings and ideas come from, but often they are a diversion from previous work. I then spend up to a day or more arranging the objects in a way that I feel captures that initial impetus.

I feel that the actual process of making the painting is almost like sculpting. I start with a very general block in and gradually refine the piece until I feel I’m homing in on the original idea. The process can take from four days up to two weeks and I will keep returning to the painting until I feel that I’ve expressed my initial idea. I don’t seem able to put a painting away and come back to it at a later date as many artists do. I have to keep working until it’s where I intended it to be.