Mary Barratt
Painter
“In my painting life there have been two main guiding experiences. The first one was in 1969 at college which made me revise all my thinking which was an encounter, which reoccurred at times over the years and was in seeing the world transformed by the most beautiful light. I think this made me think of all other experience differently.
The other encounter within my painting life is to feel the inner guidance to follow the directing impulse which I always associate with when painting, or writing poetry. It is a surrender as much as anything and in the hope of the bliss which has many times accompanied it.
I have memories of this switching off from ordinary-time and entering this flowing of contentment.
The downside of this gift is that to stay open to this possibility, in the hope that my work can connect with these experiences, is to be vulnerable to the harshness within the world. It feels like choice, but I feel its also deeply established, and I may compromise it without realising it at times, but it’s a recognition that to try stay as near as I can to this state produces an access for this preferred vision to stay with me.“ Mary Barratt
CV
Education
1966 – 1969 Loughbrough College of Art
Dipolma Art and Design 1st Class Hon
1969 – 1970 Chelsea School of Art
Postgraduate
Select Solo Exhibitions
1973 – 359 Gallery Nottingham
1975 – Crucble Theatre Sheffield
1976 – Bretton Hall Yorkshire
1986 – Rufford Craft Centre Nottinghamshire
1989 – Merlin Gallery Sheffield
1992 – The Pierrepont Gallery Nottinghamshire
1993 – Rebecca Hossack Gallery London
2000 – Kiverton Park Primary Care Centre Yorkshire
2005 – Southwell Minister Nottinghamshire
2009 – Southwell Minister Nottinghamshire
Work held in public collections and private:
Derby Museum Collections Leicester Royal Infirmary
Gedling House
Nottingham University
Other Private Collections