We know that the job of an artist is, at times, a difficult one. To mediate the world through the stroke of a brush or the snap of a camera is no small feat. We believe in giving artists their flowers, which is why we love to highlight them through an Artist Q&A! We dive into their process and how they created their current piece in the gallery! Please keep reading to learn more about artist Barb Markway and her artwork, Fields of Forever.
What was the inspiration behind this piece?
Barb: “Fields of Forever was inspired by a dear friend's deep love of sunflowers and bloomed from a place of quiet strength and hope. Her husband is in a cancer treatment clinical trial, and through it all, sunflowers have become a symbol of resilience and light. Sunflowers turn to face the sun--always reaching, always believing. To me, they speak of hope, no matter the storm.”
How long did it take you to make this piece?
Barb: “This painting took me 63 years! It carries the weight of my life story, the stories of people I've met along the way. It includes countless hours of painting practice and instruction, hours of layering, editing, and reworking, playing, making mistakes, and finally, trusting the process.”
Describe your creative process.
Barb: “I am a recently retired clinical psychologist, and I've found that my creative process as an abstract artist parallels the therapy process. Both require intuition, spontaneity, and honest expression. The process unfolds step by step, guided by openness rather than precision.
I build up the canvas slowly, with early layers being raw and unrefined. Some of those layers get covered up, while others peek through in the finished piece. Each layer invites contemplation, and you'll often see me sitting and studying the piece at points along the way, asking myself what the piece wants from me. There is always a push and pull between embracing uncertainty in the piece and then making decisions about composition, color choices, and so on. In the end, all the layers, even the messy ones, are important to the finished painting.”
If you could give yourself one piece of advice when starting your journey as an artist, what would that be?
Barb: “I have a rebellious spirit, so I tend not to listen to advice! That said, I do have quotes posted up around my studio, and this one I'm finding particularly valuable right now: "The day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit." -Fabienne Fredrickson. I need to remember that the work I do in the studio today may not result in a great painting. I may mess up a painting that was going great! Keep planting, keep watering, keep growing.”
