About the Artist
Carol Barber
Carol Barber has been active in the visual arts since 1992, working as a commercial illustrator, graphic designer, art teacher, floral designer, muralist, gallery associate, and exhibiting artist. She began showcasing her fine art in accredited galleries in 2000. In 2023, she was selected by Executive Director Kristen Chiacchia for the Curator’s Choice at the Teeny Tiny Trifecta 6 exhibition, leading to the presentation of “Curiouser and Curiouser: A Dialogue in Abstraction,” featuring her paintings and sculptures by William Bennett, at Second Street Gallery from September 6 to 27, 2024.
In 2020, she had a solo exhibit titled “A Year in Gestures” at the Welcome Gallery in Charlottesville, VA. Her artwork is represented in collections across the U.S. and appears on Chestnut Oak Vineyard wine labels and Kris Monson album covers.
Carol holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from James Madison University and a Master of Fine Arts from Radford University. Her studio is located in a serene area of Barboursville, VA, surrounded by conservation easement land.
Statement
After working as a digital illustrator, I returned to graduate school, where I transformed
my digital art into physical pieces by printing it on layers of transparent film. During this
time, I also began painting on canvas. My current abstract work takes my expertise in
digital layering and translates it into explorations of transparency, color, and the
layering of paint on various substrates. The process-oriented nature of my work fosters
an ongoing dialogue between the materials and methods I use, allowing each piece to
evolve organically and build upon the foundations of previous works. This continuous
development highlights my commitment to innovation and artistic growth. Although I
draw inspiration from digital aesthetics, my paintings reaffirm the importance of
physical presence and interaction.
Faces
Countering my process driven paintings is simple drawings of faces which is a subject that I return to again and again. Mostly from my imagination and sometimes sketchbook inspired. These are fun and the ending portraits usually surprise me!
Exhibitions
2024 Curiouser and Curiouser: A Dialogue in Abstraction, a two-person exhibition showcasing sculpture by William Bennett and painting by Carol Barber, in the Dové Gallery at The Second Street Gallery, Charlottesville, VA
2023 Staff Show, group exhibition at The Pink Gallery, Quirk Hotel, Charlottesville, VA
2022 Teeny Tiny Trifecta 5, group exhibition at The Second Street Gallery, Charlottesville, VA
2020 A Year in Gestures: Paintings by Carol Barber, a solo show presented by New City Arts at the Welcome Gallery, Charlottesville, VA
2019 P!NK, a group show at McGuffey Art Center, Charlottesville, VA
2018
Teeny Tiny Trifecta, group exhibition and solo exhibit in the backroom at The Second Street Gallery, Charlottesville, VA
Arts Exchange Group Show at New City Arts’ Welcome Gallery, Charlottesville, VA
Solo display at Random Row Brewing Company, Charlottesville, VA
Show with Mary Jane Zander at Annie Gould Gallery, Gordonsville, VA
2016 Solo display at the Augusta Health Medical Center, Fishersville, VA
2015 Solo display at the office gallery of Piedmont Council for the Arts in Charlottesville, VA
2014 Solo display at the Writer’s House in Charlottesville, VA.
2013 Floral Expressions exhibition as featured artist at DéCOR, Design Center of Richmond, VA
2012 Spirit and Soul exhibition of paintings with Eddie Thiel at the Arts Center in Orange in Orange, VA
2010 Shaped By Time exhibition of paintings with Ande Lister at the Melrose Bay Art Gallery in Melrose, FL
2009 Reflections: Beyond Time and Space exhibition with glass artists Sarah Hinds and Sky Campbell at the Thomas Center Main Gallery in Gainesville, FL
2007 Painted Dreams solo exhibition at the Santa Fe Gallery in Gainesville, FL
Selected Publish Works
2019 – 2020 Chestnut Oak Vineyard, art for five wine labels
2015 Chestnut Oak Vineyard, whimsical 30’ x 40’ mural
2012 Empowerment, 64 interior illustrations, book by Marcus Chacos published in Australia
2005 RU, the magazine of Radford University: an interior illustration for the article, Wireless
2004 Bicast Publishing, Inc.’s Dolphin Watch Books: Naya and the Haunted Shipwreck
2002 Bicast Publishing, Inc.’s Dolphin Watch Books: Naya and Nathan
Awards
2023 Curator’s Choice, Teeny Tiny Trifecta, juror: Kristen Chiacchia, Director of Second Street Gallery
2021 Three pieces accepted in the 2021 Academy Center of the Arts Annual National Juried Art Exhibition, Joe Krakora, juror
2019 – 2020 Top ten finalist in the Charlottesville, VA City Bus competition.
2016 Artist in New Watercolor: Annual Juried Contemporary Exhibit, Shenandoah Valley Art Center, John A. Hancock, curator and juror
2015 Award of Excellence, Central Virginia Watercolor Guild Annual Exhibition, Julia May, juror
2014 Honorable Mention in the South-Atlantic Juried Exhibition, The Montpelier Center for Arts &
Education
2012 Second Place in Quick Draw competition to benefit the charity, S.A.F.E., at Prince Michelle Winery
2010 Accepted into the Thomas Center Galleries Regional Juried Exhibition, juror: David Fithian
2009 Accepted into the Thomas Center Galleries Regional Juried Exhibition, juror: Michael Burban
2009 GFAA Florida Open Juried Exhibit, Honorable Mention Ribbon, juror: Jeffrey Smart Baisden
2008 First Place in the Garden Category of the Melrose Paint the Town Green
2007 Acceptance in the International Society of Acrylic Painters, 10th Annual Exhibition, San Luis Obispo Art Center, CA, juror: Bob Burridge.
2007 Award of Merit at the Oak Hall Art Festival
2006 Gold Addy for an interior magazine illustration from the Advertising Federation of the Roanoke Valley (AFRV)
2005 Award of Honor at the Art at the Oaks Show, FL
2003 Best of Show Award for the Gainesville Fine Art Association Members’ Winter Show
2003 Edith Moore Portrait Award for the Gainesville Fine Art Association Members’ Winter Show
2000 Silver Addy for entertainment advertising from the Advertising Federation of the Roanoke Valley (AFRV)
1999
Award of Excellence for the RU Art Museum’s Student Juried Exhibition
Gold Citation for illustration from the AFRV
Silver Citation for electronic/digital media from the AFRV
1992 JMU Art Achievement Award
Teaching Experience
2012 – 2020 The Arts Center in Orange – Art class and workshop teacher
2015 Community Outreach with the Arts Center in Orange, Orange, VA
2016 – 2017 Outreach teacher for Second Street Gallery
2014 – 2015 Locust Grove Elementary School in Locust Grove, VA – Long term art substitute
2012 – 2013 MADArts in Madison, VA
2009 – 2011 Art specialty teacher at Open Arms Child Development Center.
2007 – 2009 Adjunct professor at Santa Fe College’s graphic design department
Education
M.F.A. — Radford University, Radford, VA
B.F.A. — James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
