Artists Registry

Laurie Barna

San Jose CA United States

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LIBERTY SERIES ARTIST STATEMENT My passion for the Statue of Liberty began with the first and only time I experienced her, in October 2000, while on a heritage tour with my daughter’s eighth-grade class. Looking up at her on that cold clear morning, I could see that she was (and still is) a VERY BIG WOMAN. She symbolizes everything good about America and about being an American. September 11, 2001. Time stopped, American life as we all knew it changed forever, and my desire to paint her only increased. In January 2006, I had the opportunity to take Mike Bailey’s “Watercolor Beyond the Obvious” class, where all the artist-students choose 3-5 objects, arrange them in a still life and then paint two different full-sheet (22”x30”) watercolor paintings of the SAME still life per week (at home) for 10 weeks. I chose to paint three “parts” of the Statue of Liberty, and began to learn about the seven elements and eight principles of design. I explored themes such as peace, patriotism and the horror and sad consequences of 9/11, and discovered that I am a CONTENT painter. I am deeply committed to WHY I’m painting. The Liberty Series has given me an artistic voice to communicate my strong feelings about Lady Liberty and America. I took the same class again in 2007, painting content about the WTC bombing, lost liberties, missing Liberty, and Liberty as the American flag. Additional courses in 2008 and twice in 2009 allowed me to explore line and texture, as well as make stronger social/political statements. Through this series, I encourage the viewer to consider---to question--- to remember---by portraying Liberty’s familiar image in new and unfamiliar ways. The Liberty Series is complete. I have painted more than 100 versions of the Statue of Liberty as a still life, and now have 30 matted, framed and ready for the world to see. Am I out of ideas? Never! I have proven to myself that I can take any idea and “run with it.” To quote Preston Metcalf, Associate Curator of the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara: “Popular Art is a celebration of the Image. Great Art is the celebration of an Idea.” This is my Idea—the Liberty Series. My goal is to make this series available for public viewing as much as possible. Should you have any suggestions or contact information for future appropriate public/civic/government venues in which to exhibit this series, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Laurie Barna

LIBERTY SERIES EXHIBITIONS Ongoing * 3 Liberty images in the online Artists Registry: http://registry.national911memorial.org 2015 * Selected Paintings from the Liberty Series, on exhibit as featured artist for July at University Art, San Jose, CA. 2014 * Her self-published book, The Liberty Series: For the Love of Liberty, available at https://www.amazon.com/Liberty-Love-Laurie-Barna/dp/1482539160. 2011 * 125 Years of Liberty: A Tribute, Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center, Los Gatos, CA, solo. 2011 * The Liberty Ladies, Los Altos Hills Town Hall, Los Altos 2010 Hills, CA, solo. * The 2006-2008 Liberty Series, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, San Jose, CA, solo. 2008 * The 2006-2007 Liberty Series, Los Gatos Town Council Chambers, Los Gatos, CA, solo. * The 2006-2007 Liberty Series, Los Altos Library, Los Altos, CA, solo. 2007 * The 2006 Liberty Series, Key Point Credit Union, Santa Clara, CA, solo. SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2011 * San Mateo County Fair, Fine Arts Galleria, Watercolor Portrait Division, Second Place Award. 2010 * Los Gatos Art Association’s Art in the Council Chambers, Los Gatos, CA. * Annual Member Juried Show, Los Gatos Art Association, Art Museum of Los Gatos, Los Gatos, CA. * Alternate Realities, Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society's Annual Show, Rose Shenson Community Gallery, Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA. * Tenacity, Guts and Grace, Celebrating Women Artists, SWAN (Support Women Artists Now)Day, The Alameda Artworks, San Jose, CA. * Celebration of California Life: Water/Nature/People, Annual 55+ Program Art Workshop, Los Gatos Town Council Chambers, Los Gatos, CA. * Fresh StART, Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society Spring Member Show, Sunnyvale Art Gallery, Sunnyvale, CA. 2009 * Annual Member Juried Show, Los Gatos Art Association, Art Museum of Los Gatos, Los Gatos, CA. * Linear Visions, Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society Annual Show, Rose Shenson Community Gallery, Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA. * Los Gatos Through Our Eyes, Annual 55+ Program Art Workshop, Los Gatos Town Council Chambers, Los Gatos, CA. 2008 * Annual Member Juried Show, Los Gatos Art Association, Art Museum of Los Gatos, Los Gatos, CA. * Visual Politics, Art & the American Experience, Santa Cruz Art League's National Juried Exhibition, Santa Cruz, CA. * On the Edge, Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society’s Annual Show, Rose Shenson Community Gallery, Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA. * An Enduring Creativity, Annual 55+ Program Art Workshop, Los Gatos Town Council Chambers, Los Gatos, CA. * Let it Shine!, Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society Member Juried Show, Gallery Saratoga, Saratoga, CA; her painting "Persimmetry" juried as the Publicity image. * Touch my HeART 2008, Juried Art Exhibition/Fundraiser, Art Museum of Los Gatos, Los Gatos, CA. 2007 * Reflections, Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society’s Annual Show, Rose Shenson Community Gallery, Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA. * The Seasoned Palette, Annual 55+ Program Art Workshop, Los Gatos Town Council Chambers, Los Gatos, CA. * AVArtFest (with the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society) Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA. 2006 * Joyful Moments, Los Gatos Art Association’s Art in the Council Chambers, Los Gatos, CA. * Sing a Song of Color, Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society's Annual Show, Rose Shenson Community Gallery, Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara and its Satellite Gallery at the AMD World Headquarters, Sunnyvale, CA. * AVArtfest (with the Los Gatos Art Association), Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA. 2005 * Let’s Have Fun with It, Los Gatos Art Association’s Art in the Council Chambers, Los Gatos, CA. * Artwork images featured on KCAT, local cable TV station, Los Gatos. * Fine Art al Fresco, Los Gatos Art Association, Hotel Los Gatos, Los Gatos, CA. * Celebrations, Los Gatos Art Association’s Art in the Council Chambers, Los Gatos, CA. 2004 * Annual Member Juried Show, Los Gatos Art Association, Art Museum of Los Gatos, CA. * Fine Art al Fresco, Los Gatos Art Association, Hotel Los Gatos, Los Gatos, CA. 2003 * Waterworks, Los Gatos Art Association’s Art in the Council . Chambers, Los Gatos, CA. * Annual Student Art Show with Oneida Hammond, University Art Center, San Jose, CA. 2002 * Annual Student Art Show with Oneida Hammond, University Art Center, San Jose, CA. 2001 * Annual Student Art Show with Oneida Hammond, University Art Center, San Jose, CA. * Les Couleurs de France-Visions in Watercolor, Annual Senior Program Exhibit, Los Gatos Town Council Chambers, Los Gatos, CA; Best of Show. 2000 * Painter’s Palate-Visions of Food in Watercolor, Annual Senior Program Exhibit, Los Gatos Town Council Chambers, Los Gatos, CA. COLLECTIONS/COMMISSIONS • Artwork in numerous private collections in Northern California • Commission to Create a Limited First Edition, Los Gatos Community Foundation, 2004 BIBLIOGRAPHY • The World Trade Center Memorial: Where Are We Now? (Article includes image of "LIBERTY # 28: Shattered Lives, Shattered Liberty")by Steve Rankin, July/August 2010 Newsletter of the France Etat-Unis Association/www.franceusatoulon.org. • Lady Liberty (in Sal Pizarro’s Around Town column), San Jose Mercury News, July 4, 2010. • Liberty as a still life, Almaden Resident, June 18, 2010. • Driven to Create, Los Gatos Weekender, March 20, 2009. • Los Gatos Program Gives Seniors Artistic, Social Outlets, MercuryNews.com, March 19, 2009. • Brush with Liberty, Los Gatos Weekender, August 1, 2008. • Liberty in the Los Gatos Council Chambers, LosGatosObserver.com, July 7, 2008. • Standing Proud, Los Gatos Weekender, June 27, 2008. • Statue of Liberty Arrives in Los Altos, Los Altos Town Crier, March 19, 2008. MEMBERSHIPS • Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society (2006-present) • Los Gatos Art Association (2002-present) ART BACKGROUND • Drawing courses with Jim Smyth, Brandon Johnson, and at California State University, Chico and De Anza College. • Watercolor painting courses with Mike Bailey, Floy Zittin, Robert Burridge, Teresa Saia, Edna Piersol Windes, Karen Honaker, Tom Lynch, Oneida Hammond and Jean Tannhauser. • Figure/Portrait painting courses with George Rivera, Myrna Wacknov and Michael Azgour. • Art History courses with Kathleen Follis and Preston Metcalf. EDUCATION • University of California, San Francisco, Master of Science in Nursing with PNP specialization, 1981. • California State University, Chico, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, 1975.