Winner: Chapman and Bailey Award.
In this series of paintings, I am thematically concerned with creating intriguing geometric compositions of figures and urban landscapes. I seek to cause the viewer’s gaze to travel across a pictorial plane, not rest in the middle. I depict towering vignettes with carefully placed windows and doors to encourage this. The figure(s) are placed within spatial arrangements to fit the harmony of the scene. Often, the dream-like figure(s) appear dissociated from their landscapes. I am aware that the controlled design of my painting creates an enigmatic quality. I approach painting as a static image, silent and mysterious. My ultimate goal is to make a moment permanent.
Ella Barker is a painter working in Melbourne/Naarm.
Ella Barker