The Red Barn Studio Museum is excited to welcome Barry Fitzgerald, Lawrence, as the artist-in-residence March 1-28.
Fitzgerald is an illustrator, designer, and fine artist, as well as Professor and program director of Illustration at the University of Kansas, where he has taught since 1993. In his illustration career, he has received numerous national and international awards, and has worked for clients such as AARP, Children’s Television Workshop, Boston Globe, Chicago Review Press, National Public Radio, and the New York Times, among others.
An artist since childhood, Fitzgerald enjoys the challenge of making engaging images that explore personal, social, and cultural observations through the use of metaphorical, narrative, and symbolic concepts. He cites textures, light and shadow relationships, the dynamics of line and shape, and fellow artists as recent inspirations.
During his residency, Fitzgerald will be creating a new body of artwork using collage, charcoal, and assemblage techniques. His artwork is often generated first in a sketchbook, informed by a range of imagery from representational to abstract. Before starting his paintings, Fitzgerald explores composition, value and color studies, experiments with mark making, and uses digital methods to plan his paintings. He works on multiple paintings at the same time, preferring to work in a series. Throughout his process, Fitzgerald plans to explore mark making and the addition of three-dimensional elements to his pieces.
Visitors to the Red Barn will see Fitzgerald at any stage of artmaking, and he welcomes the opportunity to explain part or all of his process. Barry is interested to see how a new working environment and community will inform his future artwork.
Join Fitzgerald with his project “Connecting the Dots” at the Red Barn on March 14, 1:00-3:00pm. Participants will use colored paper, various drawing and painting tools, and tempera paint to make an assortment of visual elements that include textures, random shapes, and representational imagery. These elements will be put together to complete a picture. Exploring different ways to combine the elements can be similar to a connect-the-dots method of making a picture – it can be challenging to know what to expect, but each step of the process reveals what the picture could be.
Cost is $25 for nonmembers and $22 for members. Register online at redbarnstudio.org, by phone at 785-227-2217 or in person at the Red Barn Tuesday-Friday, 10:00am-5:00pm, Saturday-Sunday, 1:00--5:00pm.
All are invited to attend a reception for Fitzgerald on March 22, 2:00-4:00pm. For more information on Barry’s artwork, visit https://www.barryfitzgeraldillustration.com/.