Townspeople

Townspeople
Fall 2020

The misfit army mural at sf Clayworks , December 2017

The misfit army mural  at sf Clayworks , December 2017
Divided Feminine

Studio, January 2017

Studio, January 2017
It's been a long time since I posted anything . Follow me on instgram, spongebarbier.

Little Sleeping-Thinking Head

Little Sleeping-Thinking Head
August 2016

Florine's mother

Florine's mother
Totem

End of April,2016

End of April,2016
Woman in her studio

April, 2016

April, 2016
Adding detail to big head

February 2016

February 2016
In progress

January 2016

January 2016
The quiet man

November 22,2015

November 22,2015
Man underground

The _Inbetween_Forest


The In between Forest began as a particular location in my imagination within the world I have created called Mushroomville. It is the place between the living and the dead. A member from either group can enter this forest to find and converse with the other. I imagine it densely populated with giant sequoias, bigleaf maples , dogwood and boulders strewn throughout for sitting or lying flat to gaze at the passing puffy clouds.

Then, the in between forest became my life and my state of mind. It is the years between the blurry lines of youth and old age, if one is so lucky to see old age. It is the period in a woman's life between fertility and the invisibility cloak. It is a land mine of rising and falling hormones tossing you about willy nilly and hopefully landing you on a calm beach somewhere called complete self acceptance. It is a place where you can feel exquisite joy in the moment and grieve deeply for inevitability of death. A place where prayer, hope and sorrow sit closely together.

And out of this emotional and mental place and two years in my studio came these paintings and sculptures. The joyful process of figuring out the puzzle of a painting in a quiet studio and being alone is one of the best feelings I know. It's a conversation that would start off light and joyful and by day's end often segue into self doubt and frustration. But still the painting waits for you and your next dialogue with it. How do you put your whole self into a flat thing or even a piece of clay? How do you take your emotions of deep sorrow and give it form? Or transform feelings of adoration into color ? Thoughts into thread? Do you ever succeed or is it just the exertion that comes across?

Either way it is the practice of trying that keeps me in my studio. The discipline of building a unique language that hopefully finds one or many that understands it.
Thanks for looking and seeing.

From my show ,the _inbetween_forest

From my show ,the _inbetween_forest
Florine giving birth

The old woman

The old woman
In my show " the_inbetween _forest

Yellow lips

Yellow lips
Fall

Sunday studio

Sunday studio
August 9

Studio, May ,2015

Studio, May ,2015

The Reluctant One

The Reluctant One
April 26

The therapist wife

The therapist wife
April 19,2015

The soup makers

The soup makers
Almost done

The couple

The couple
April is here ,2015

Mona Lisa

Mona Lisa
February 19

The woman who sails too close to the edge

The woman who sails too close to the edge
February

Le coure exterieur

Le coure exterieur
For the exposed heart exhibit in Petaluma

Black Nose

Black Nose
Mid January ,2015

Women of sports

Women of sports
January

January 2015

January 2015
The searcher

The actress

The actress
Mid November

November

November
The free man

The purple Whale

The purple Whale
October 18

Drawing in bed, mid October

Drawing in bed, mid October
Mr Ambitious

Drawing in progress

Drawing in progress
Soupmakers

Alcatraz

Alcatraz
End of September

Standing By

Standing By
September 22

The magic healing gem

The magic healing gem
Very end of summer

The Ruminator Extraordinaire

The Ruminator Extraordinaire
August

The mother

The mother
Mid summer

Home studio

Home studio
July 17,2014

The roommates

The roommates
July 6

Base Camp at Buggenheon

Base Camp at Buggenheon
end of June

Weeper

Weeper
May Day

Drawing in progress

Drawing in progress
base camp at Buggeonheon

Vivian

Vivian
March ,rain

Carrot Top

Carrot Top
created for Beauty and the Beast show,@ Bommerrang, Petaluma,through February

the Family

the Family
January 2014,

Florine in Russia

Florine in Russia
january 2014, back in my studio for the new year,what will it bring? what will I bring to it?

corner of the exhibit for Cerberus at Buggenheon( Joe Cunningham and Leigh Barbier)

corner of the exhibit for Cerberus at Buggenheon( Joe Cunningham and Leigh Barbier)
The last day to see this great show is saturday the 14th ,december, 11am-11pm

florine absorbing her influences( Louise Bourgeois and King`s canyon)

florine absorbing her influences( Louise Bourgeois and King`s canyon)
feel very attatched to this piece,

florine after degas, 36" high

florine after degas, 36" high
stoneware,muslin,embroidery,photo,wool

vermont studio center,one of the best experinecs I have ever had

vermont studio center,one of the best experinecs I have ever had
october 12th through 24rth

the pumpkin eaters

the pumpkin eaters
worked on and completed at Vermont Studio Center in October

Florine giving birth to a city

Florine giving birth to a city

Florine and her ancestors

Florine and her ancestors
november 2013

Florine observed,observing

Florine observed,observing
October ,2013

Flrine with leotard hoody and prehistoric forest

Flrine with leotard hoody and prehistoric forest
November 2013

Florine grows 6 breast after being penetrated by a tree limb

Florine grows 6 breast after being penetrated by a tree limb
August2013

Florine trying to get inside the head of her sensitive man

Florine trying to get inside the head of her sensitive man

Florine with bonsai

Florine with bonsai
end of July,2013

Florine of Santorini

Florine of Santorini
Flrine trying seduce her Adonis

Florine in Crete

Florine in Crete

Florine massaging her gimpy knee

Florine massaging her gimpy knee

Florine performing leg lifts

Florine performing leg lifts
May,2013

recent work, april 15th,tax day

recent work, april 15th,tax day
The Double Date

April 1st,

April 1st,
More Florines

eyes wide open

eyes wide open
Henrik Kam`s photo of sculpture made of photos,muslin,thread ,glass and twig

detail

detail
Photo by Henrik Kam

Simone gathers her belongings and begins her journey into the circular forrest

Simone gathers her belongings and begins her journey into the circular forrest
Henrik Kam`s photo from Biospheres show

miss january

miss january
january 2013

three sisters

three sisters
january

vivian for bernadette

vivian for bernadette
december

me in mother`s house

me in mother`s house
december 26th

woman for mom

woman for mom
santa cruz

green lips for carrie

green lips for carrie
december

blue hair mystery woman for howie

blue hair mystery woman for howie
holiday gifts to friends and family

the Makers

the Makers
end of October,started this drawing in february,ignored it in the summer and finally finished it last weekend.Originally inspired by my model making friends,John and Kim. Two panels,each 30" x 40", color pencil on paper.

the Makers,detail

the Makers,detail

detail,the Makers

detail,the Makers
October30th

Leona before Beau

Leona before Beau
august in studio

Beau before Leona

Beau before Leona
august in studio

florine in mexico

florine in mexico

valley of your true idenity

valley of your true idenity
August 6,2012

Florine prepares for her dance

Florine prepares for her dance
July 27

the Makers

the Makers
July 28th,getting back to my big drawing after 4 months of ignoring it.

Man down in Eden

Man down in Eden
July /studio

A Day when it was Not

A Day when it was Not
acrylic on canvas

mother actor

mother actor
paint on B&W reproductions of 19th century french paintings

daughter actor

daughter actor
July 15th

father actor

father actor
studio -July15th

Florine punishes herself for not living up to her potencial

Florine punishes herself for not living up to her potencial
July 8th

the Giving Stump

the Giving Stump
created for Gwen`s and mine Empty Nest show,2010

the Giving Stump

the Giving Stump
page 1

the Giving Stump

the Giving Stump
page 2

the Giving Stump

the Giving Stump
page 3

the Giving Stump

the Giving Stump
page 4

the Giving Stump

the Giving Stump
page 5

the Giving Stump

the Giving Stump
page 6

the Giving Stump

the Giving Stump
Page 7

florine confides in leona

florine confides in leona

leona and beau fall inlove

leona and beau fall inlove

florine retuns to the bottle

florine retuns to the bottle
june 24

Florine # 9

Florine # 9
many more florines to come...inspired by the movie work I do and being surrounded by images of movie monsters

the revolutionary

the revolutionary
June 2012

new studio at sf clayworks

new studio at sf clayworks
best studio I have ever had

the Singing Smokers

the Singing Smokers

Leona and Beau

Leona and Beau

Florine 12

Florine 12

Florine 10

Florine 10

June2

recent work in studio

Biospheres Closing Party Saturday Jan. 28 10am - 1pm, 66 Elgin Park San Francisco

the other side of midnight

the other side of midnight

valley of war and brotherhood

valley of war and brotherhood

the portal

the portal

valley of observation and forgiveness

valley of observation and forgiveness

July 6th

July 6th
Really lovable she was

June 3

June 3
Empty Nest Syndrome

long winter in sf ,June3

long winter in sf ,June3
first time posting in 3.5 months

February 18th,2011

February 18th,2011
The Secret and Extraordinary World of Edith Mulch

Thoreau exhibit

Thoreau exhibit
February 2011

Donna viewing tree doll and Valley of triple happiness

Donna viewing tree doll and Valley of triple happiness
February 2011

December 4rth

December 4rth
first show at brand new gallery in the mission

Gallery 60six

Empty Nest opening

Empty Nest opening

detail

detail
biosphere of personal growth in mushroomville

Empty Nest 0pening

Empty Nest 0pening

Empty Nest opening pics

Empty Nest opening pics

floor installation "Artifacts from an Empty Nest"

floor installation "Artifacts from an Empty Nest"
Opal Jane and Zipper

Gwen and I

Gwen and I
last day of show

Empty Nest last day of exhibit at Gallery 60six

Empty Nest last day of exhibit at Gallery 60six
December 4rth-January 29th

Olomouc Town Square,beautiful city,warm people

Olomouc Town Square,beautiful city,warm people
Opening took place in October 2010

december 13

december 13
Exhibit card for Olomouc,Czech Republic

father photographer,mother quilter

father photographer,mother quilter
october 11

sarah grace

sarah grace
oct 9th

daughter waits on cracked earth

daughter waits on cracked earth
oct 9th

anxiety armed wife

anxiety armed wife
october 7th

super hero husband

super hero husband
october 6

the hungry son

the hungry son
october 4

the muff

the muff
october 1

husband returns

husband returns
september 30

brothers from mushroomville

brothers from mushroomville
september 28

blue skirt

blue skirt
september 27

dark holiness

dark holiness
september 24

no pity polly

no pity polly
september 23

the pervert

the pervert
september 21

Bluxton street

Bluxton street
September 20,2010

the subscriber

the subscriber
september 16

the true love of viola biggs

the true love of viola biggs
june 22,

The Giant of Pearl River

The Giant of Pearl River
June 8th

The Landlords

The Landlords
May 13,2010

Evil doer

Evil doer
May 7,2010

Outcast

Outcast
Last day of April,2010

The Hand

The Hand
April 23,friday finally

april 19,2010

april 19,2010

Web Bug from http://r20.rs6.net/on.jsp?t=1103280492743.0.1101936360514.5614&ts=S0473&o=http://ui.constantcontact.com/images/p1x1.gif
UPCOMING EXHIBITION
COLLECT! Exhibition and Silent Auction Fundraiser
featuring over 75 Bay Area artists!

April 10 - May 2, 2010
Opening Reception & First Look: Saturday, April 10, 5-8pm

A surprising and unique opportunity to see and purchase work by over 75 well-known Bay Area artists in one beautiful spot---Berkeley Art Center! Mirroring the strength and generosity of our artist community, these selected artists have graciously agreed to donate work in support of Berkeley Art Center for this 3-week silent auction fundraiser. COLLECT! opens to the public on Saturday, April 10, 5-8pm, and will close with a final bidding party (ticketed) for participating artists and serious bidders onSunday, May 2, 5-8pm. (For reservations and tickets, please contact Ann Weber.)

View work on-line, starting April 10 @ berkeleyartcenter.org.

Get your first look at this amazing array of local talent at the opening reception on Saturday, April 10, and start placing your bids! See you Saturday!

Participating artists include: Diane Abt • Mel Adamson • Mari Andrews • Kim Anno • Leigh Barbier • Rebecca Barten • Amy Berk • Janice Best • JoAnn Biagini • Jenny Bloomfield • Mariet Braakman • Jeanine Briggs • Jamie Brunson • Chandra Cerrito • Iris Charabi-Berggren • Sas Colby • Catherine Courtenaye • Kirk Crippens • Lori del Mar • Inga Dorosz • Amanda Eicher • Lisa Espenmiller • Rupert Garcia • Ingeborg Gerdes • Thekla Hammond • Katie Hawkinson • Randall Heath • Kathleen Henderson • Robbin Henderson • Anthony Holdsworth • Mildred Howard • Karl Kasten • David King • Lisa Kokin • Keira Kotler • Carrie Lederer • Mary Lonergan • Mel Lyons • Michelle Mansour • Reuben Margolin • Kara Maria • Tom Marioni • Kay Marshall • Susan Martin • Indira Martina Morre • Liz Maxwell • Masako Miki • Nancy Mintz • Camilla Newhagen • Zach Pine • Mel Prest • Linda Race • Mary Curtis Ratcliff • Elizabeth Sher • Peter Silen • Joe Slusky • Miriam Stahl • M. Louise Stanley • Livia Stein • Susan Steinman • John Toki • Andrea Voinot • Ann Weber • Katherine Westerhout • Richard Whittaker • Lena Wolff • Jan Wurm

viola Biggs falls inlove

viola Biggs falls inlove
11" x 14" mixed media on paper created for the Berkeley Art Center Auction

April 6th 2010

Simone examines herself in the mirror with her new red shoes.

Walk Alone William

Walk Alone William

Walk Alone William

march 31st,2010


Walk Alone William is a character from my self invented world , Mushroomville. He is steadfastly traveling on his path towards enlightenment and redemption. He does not speak ,but always listens with his empathetic ear,so much so that he is often slowed on his journey by his absorption of other’s pain and desire. When this happens he buries his head deeper in his book of prayer. The woman of Mushroomville try to intercept him as they need his grounded energy to quell their faceless anxieties.

Walk Alone William in Mushroomville

Walk Alone William in Mushroomville

A

A

I created this alphabet for my friend Leslie about 5 years ago.She was designing my website and in trade I would create an alphabet for her fabulous site(where you can procure all things small,detailed and beautiful to create collages, jewelry,cards,magical boxes,...it`s pretty great )


http://www.alphastamps.com


I think it was her hope she could create stamps from them.However they might have turned out more out of control than she had hoped. I am not sure.Only one turned into a stamp.The website she created served me well for many years. Thank you Leslie.

twins

brownstones to red dirt

My dear friend Vicki Saulls has organized a postcard art benefit
online auction. Samples above are my contribution and below are contributions from Tami Stewart,Vicki Saulls and Homer Flynn. There are many more on the site that are equally wonderful and it is for a very good cause.Please read about it here and see more images.

postcards for a cause

postcards for a cause

Edith

Edith

The Petrified Rose



The Petrified Rose


Edith had come to Mushroomville as a way of getting back at her son, Simon, who no longer had time to lunch with her. Up until eight months ago, Simon had faithfully met his mother three days a week at the club for their midday meal. After her son fell in love with Jeffrey, Edith felt that she had become so small in Simon's life that she may have actually begun to shrink, and would measure herself daily to make sure this wasn’t true. A stern but loving mother, Edith was also organized, exacting and rigorous with life’s details. Before her son’s betrayal Edith often reviewed her good qualities and felt as if she was almost perfect. With this new emptiness, doubt had begun to inhabit Edith's well ordered hours.

Hazel Key, her bridge partner and former neighbor, had sent Edith a letter last spring from a place called Mushroomville, stating how happy she was. Hazel was vague about the accommodations but included just enough information to allow her friend to fantasize about this adventure which would most certainly trigger her son`s painful regret. Hazel had also written that there was one difficult obstacle to overcome before her arrival in Mushroomville: each adventurous soul had to find her own personal and meaningful portal into this new world. Hazel had entered through the cabinet beneath her kitchen sink, but for Edith, an entrance through some dark and functional space would certainly never do. Decorum demanded a portal no less than a well paved path through a rose garden or the silently sliding, gilded elevator doors at her favorite department store.


olivia roach

olivia roach
entered mushroomville 1972

Olivia

Olivia found herself in Mushroomville, after discovering a passage through the janitor’s closet at her elementary school.She had befriended Landford, the janitor, in the second grade when she asked what it felt like to be a floor sweeper ,and he thought that was a poetic phrase for what he did.He let her hide out in there when the kids called her blockhead and tried to hide her glasses.Quietly sitting by herself in the dark ,she entertained herself by listening to the sounds inside her head while she ate her lunch.Afterwards she would lie down on the cool concrete floor, soothed by the pleasant, gurgling tones of water rushing through the school plumbing.

Olivia lived with her grandma and grandpa above a corner store that the old couple operated from early morning until late at night.Alone on the back porch lying on her slender cot, the teenager often thought about her mother and wondered why she didn’t live with her.Inhaling the scent from her mother's slip, Olivia liked to rub her fingers back and forth across a postcard containing the image of steep mountains interrupted by smooth plateaus,supporting tiny log cabins.The majestic landscape was populated by a few women raking leaves. The caption on the back of the card described the setting as " Autumn in Mushroomville."

Underneath, in her mother`s handwriting, was the message "when you are 14, try to find me."


Sunday, April 24, 2022

Spring 2022,

its been a while since I posted anyhting here. I like this space as it serves as a visual and written diary of a life thats going by way too quickly. What has been going on in my studio? more quarantine paintings that morphed into paintings about the decline of my mother's health and eventual death last June. I continue to make my bedroom drawings from where else but my bed which is like a luxurious island of comfort and creativity. And i am back working with clay.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

your news!

Leigh makes really cool art!
love you