Today we’d like to introduce you to Coleen Barnhart.
Hi Coleen, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
As a small child, I yearned for the ability to draw realistically but just assumed I would never be able to draw like that. My early drawing skills were developed by constantly sketching and doodling in my textbooks and church notes. When I was 12, I drew a portrait of my twin sister from life that captured her likeness. My father said, “You know, you could be a portrait artist!” and from then on, that was my dream job.
I started out painting portraits of relatives and neighbors in acrylic. My grandfather commissioned me at age 14 to paint a portrait of him and my grandmother in exchange for my first set of oil paints. What a confidence boost!
Soon after that, I was introduced to Katie Garner, a local artist who became my art tutor through high school. Since Katie did not enjoy painting portraits herself, she started turning them over to me whenever she got a request for one. I built up my business from there. We still paint together every week, and she continues to be a valuable friend and art mentor.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Pricing was one of my biggest headaches. I started by finding out what artists similar to me were charging. Those who had made a name for themselves were able to charge more because they were in demand so that needed to be factored in. I tried to raise my prices steadily as I got my name out, but there were times when I moved too quickly for my market. If my waiting list became too long, I needed to raise my prices. I am currently represented by Outside the Box Fine Art in Augusta, Georgia, so my business is not fraught with the stressful decisions concerning commission logistics, and I can focus my energy on painting.
Another unique challenge for me has been purchasing art supplies. I decided early on that I want my paintings to be archival and as high quality as I could possibly afford to make them. That has meant some sacrifices on my part, as well as a lot of time spent learning and researching what makes oil paintings last.
Many of my commissioned portraits are of children, so I don’t often have the luxury of painting a model who can hold a pose for very long. It is difficult, but it is equally enjoyable! At first, I thought it was impossible to paint children from life because I paint so slowly. But then I learned that you don’t actually need your subject to be still. You just need to watch for when they are in the pose you are painting and hold it in your memory until they return to it. Usually, one photography sitting and one live painting session is needed for each portrait.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Specializing in portraiture, I get to design a piece of art that will last for generations. I get so much pleasure from finding ways to make every portrait the best representation of that person that I possibly can! I am known for painting classic children’s portraits, but I love to paint adult portraits, both formal and casual, and many other types of paintings as well.
My favorite type of painting is en plein air (outdoors), finding a beautiful spot in nature and capturing it quickly, like a treasure for me to keep, before the light changes. Time spent analyzing colors and shapes helps me deeply notice the intricate wonders of God’s creation and later recall those light effects much better than I could with only a quick photograph. As light and shadow patterns move, I challenge myself to hold their shapes in my memory until the clouds move and they return. The thrill of plein air painting for me lies in that hope that THIS time I will capture them! I cannot do it perfectly, but knowing that I am striving for an impossible goal frees me from beating myself up about it. I can simply breathe in the beauty. Even if my painting fails to look like my vision for it, the experience itself is rewarding. I gain valuable skills such as fast, adrenalin brushstrokes to use in my profession when painting active children from life.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
The opportunity for artists to meet one another and swap trade secrets. I attend the Portrait Society of America’s annual conference every year it is held in Atlanta. I find it to be a huge boon to my creative spirit. Atlanta’s traffic is very intimidating to this country girl.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.coleenbarnhart.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coleenbarnhart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coleen.barnhart/
Image Credits
S & A Photography
