I am an intuitive artist who creates abstract paintings. My art celebrates the resilience of my natural environment and all of its inhabitants. I notice patterns, sometimes disrupted; contrasting textures; vivid colors always magically harmonious; and landscapes constantly changing due to weather, seasonal differences, and/or man’s intrusiveness. And yet, Nature survives, yes, even thrives.
I moved to this rugged land four years ago from a much different midwestern terrain and my amazement at its sheer beauty continues to inspire me. I start by taking I-phone photographs on my daily walks throughout the central coast of California, a coastline so inspiring that it is no wonder we are a region rich in artists, not the least of which are Ansel Adams and Ed Weston. I learned from my Aunt Therese, herself an artist, to slow down and take notice. She persuaded me to take deep breathes, to take it all in, “to drink deep from the Pierian spring.” I take these photographs to provide seeds of inspiration I can bring back to my studio. Later I use acrylic paint, ink and collage to crystallize ideas drawn from this raw material gathered each day. I hope to move others to share this feeling of awe at the raw power of Mother Nature, even when it seems the world is spinning out of control.
In the studio I often first make intuitive marks on paper, a canvas or a cradled wood panel as I respond to the emotion or energy of the photograph. One mark leads to another, one color or shape is put down in response to a preceding one. Layers of acrylic ink, paint, and collage materials document my search. Sometimes I sand back a layer to reveal the past even as I seek future clarity.
I came to abstract painting in the middle of the pandemic, a period of time when much of the world was forced to slow down. A time when many reflected on meaning and purpose. This has resulted in a renaissance of creativity around the world. For me, I found solid footing during a period of uncertainty through artmaking. I believe art invites us--no commands us--to stop and pay attention. It demands a response, an acknowledgement about a truth visually expressed, even as we know that the passage of time will alter what we see and what we make of it. It is a medium that reaches across generations and cultures.
I am blessed to work in the Carmel Highlands, at the northern tip of Big Sur. Robinson Jeffers, our local poet from last century, was also inspired by our landscape and said it better than I. I seek to “feel and speak the astonishing beauty of things--earth, stone, and water...this place is the noblest thing I have ever seen.” I hope my art can convey the majesty of the environment I am lucky to call home.
I currently exhibit in small local galleries and sell my work at art fairs or through online connections. I have been part of a two woman show in Gilroy at the 6thStreetArtStudios with an art colleague, titled: ACT 2: Two Women Painting in their Prime. Shows I participate in: West End Celebration (Sand City, CA); Carmel Homecrafter’s Market. My paintings have been included in exhibit in the Walter Avery Gallery (Seaside), the county offices of Supervisor Mary Adams, and the Meals on Wheels Facility in Monterey. I have also had paintings in online exhibits such as the Las Laguna Art Gallery in Laguna Beach, CA. One of my paintings won second place in an online exhibition sponsored by Central Coast Art Association. Some of my art and photography is available for purchase at SugarFarms, a small gift gallery in Carmel Plaza. I will also be on Carmel’s Open Studio Tours in October of 2022.
My art and many of my photographs are visible at barbdillvarga.com and on my instagram account at: bdillvarga. You may contact me at bdillvarga@gmail.com if interested in learning more or making a purchase. I am also able to receive texts at 630-632-3876. I hope you enjoy my work and join me in celebrating the beauty that we are so privileged to experience!
