Lisa Marie Barber. Alegria, 2024.
My aesthetic sensibility is rooted in Mexican Folk Art and the Latin-American Catholic shrines of my heritage and upbringing. During my childhood in Tucson, Arizona, this was the artwork I knew, and I practiced making creations in similar ways. Whether it was through my novice interpretation, or some forgotten informal training I received as a child, I came to believe that ornamentation and excess denoted value and importance. Materials weren’t required to be “fine”, and tools were expected to be simple. Evidence of “the hand” (the maker) was never something to be self-conscience of or craftily removed. Throughout my life, I’ve remained loyal to this style of making.
My main body of work consists of large ceramic sculptures consisting of hundreds of parts assembled in shrine-like fashion. Additionally, I create single, life-sized ceramic figures, mixed media quilts, drawings, paintings, and original fashion. Here at The InsideOut, I’m sharing a small sampling of my work in the type of venue I adore: a true public space. Regardless of material/medium, my embedded concepts and style are consistent. I strive to portray imagined, decorative conceptions of peacefulness, playfulness, and celebration.
The center piece here is “Alegría” which means Joy or Happiness in Spanish. The woman in the center is at peace in her embellished surroundings; all is good as she floats through the day on a platform that somewhat resembles a raft. On either side of Alegría are two girls, separate pieces in their own right. Their addition is a way to engage the windows—they are looking out at those walking by, hoping to invite the viewer’s attention. (They can also act as guards for “Alegría”, keeping the peace and joy protected!)
The quilts are some of the smallest ones I create and, like for all my exhibitions, I included quilts here to provide colorful “backdrops” to exhibition spaces. My studio practice is one where I move between clay and fabric daily. Both enable a process of piecing parts together, creating implied narratives from improvised patchworks.