Self-taught artist Rhonda Barrett’s experimentation with different media has brought her to paper collage and the joy that can be found in little bits of paper glued to canvas. Her pieces are created from newspaper as it has been printed; there is no dying or painting of the paper. This method was chosen in an attempt to reuse that which has already been created. Bird’s Flyin’ High is at the Corridor Gallery February 2 – 28.

Describing her process and the work on view, Barrett explains:
I am heavily influenced by my yoga practice in which I am constantly shown how small and infinite the blessings and causes for wonderment are in this world. When I create a piece from little bits of paper, each piece is a small part of a greater whole, but alone is also fascinating. When I dance, each breath carries an emotion or essence which can be appreciated, but is meant to support the overall piece. When I write poetry each word is chosen to evoke a very specific feeling. I create art knowing that each small aspect helps to represent my whole idea, and therefore, I try to remain focused and immersed in the process. The process is as important to me as the finished piece.

Rhonda is a self-taught artist from Newfoundland, currently living in Nova Scotia. Being heavily trained in dance, yoga and physical fitness influences her work as she accompanies it through expressive pieces in which her own body is used to create art. Rhonda was a founding member of Illusion Studio in St. John’s, Newfoundland which promoted many types of art creation and hosted numerous exhibits and events. Years later Rhonda believes that the fine arts are simply one way to express oneself, and is focused on using dance, music, poetry, visual art and other types of media to support her work in a dynamic display of expression.

You can see more of Rhonda’s work on her Facebook page or on her website.

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Located inside the Visual Arts Nova Scotia office at the Halifax Seaport since 2000, the Corridor Gallery is complimented by a historical legacy of Nova Scotia culture, simple yet modern architectural elements and an array of current cultural activity in the Cultural Federations of Nova Scotia office. The Corridor Gallery is located at 1113 Marginal Road, Halifax, Nova Scotia and is open Monday through Friday, 9:30am – 5pm.

Visual Arts Nova Scotia advances the visual arts through leadership, education, and communication.

High resolution image for press available via Dropbox.

For further information regarding the exhibition contact:

Carri MacKay
Programming Coordinator
902.423.4694 | 1.866.225.8267 | f: 902.422.0881
vans@visualarts.ns.ca | www.visualarts.ns.ca