#sparkchamber 102218 — Rhonda Barrett

To counter the chill in the air, we offer a warm welcome in the #sparkchamber to mother, yoga instructor, and paper artist Rhonda Barrett. Rhonda is a self-taught artist. Her experimentation with various mediums brought her to paper collage — “I love paper, books, newspapers, and the tangible nature of information shared through paper” — and the joy that can be found in little bits of paper glued to canvas. Her pieces are formed predominantly from newspaper as it has been printed — no additional dyeing or painting of the paper. She chose this method in an attempt to reclaim something already produced; “I'm inspired by re-using papers of little value and making them invaluable.” The irony of using disposable sources of paper to create lasting artworks is not lost on her, but rather is part of the statement she tries to make about society, consumerism, and our lack of connection in general.

She is a cooperative artist at Art 1274 Hollis, and her work is available for purchase at the gallery. And, she has a solo show upcoming November 26, 2018 to January 7, 2019 at Gallery 1919, Halifax, with a collection of works exploring “the idea of the feminine.”

 Check out her website, little bits of paper, big art!, and give her a follow  @littlebitsofpaperbigart on Instagram and Facebook.

1.] Where do ideas come from?

The news, my own personal journey through life and the feelings I experience, the places I see and people I admire. Ideas come randomly and can develop through dreams or intense research. I do not limit my inspiration or constrain myself with a niche. 

2.] What is the itch you are scratching?

I have something to say about the direction our world is moving. In general, I am not hopeful the human race will figure it all out, and by reusing paper, I get to recreate the story somehow. 

3.] Early bird or night owl, tortoise or hare? 

I provide daily care for my son and must constantly find time and focus where there is little. I have days where it is not possible to physically get to work, but, my mind works on solving problems or developing concepts in preparation for the next available moment. There is no maintenance of flow ... it’s a definite stop-and-go journey for me. 

4.] How do you know when you are done?

If the piece has an air of completion I leave it for a few days and look at it with fresh eyes. I need to separate myself from the end in order to find it.