Pauline Barnard
Pauline Barnard is a contemporary South African artist. Her signature style mixes traditional and abstract painting techniques to create rich, layered paintings that evoke and inspire. Moving beyond traditional realism, she employs a painterly touch that allows the energy of the brushstroke to remain visible on the canvas.
Her compositions often feature a striking contrast between the focused detail of avian life and the fluid, almost abstract rendering of glass and botanical forms. Through this balance of precision and spontaneity, Pauline captures the fleeting vitality of the natural world with modern, contemporary flair.
She often employs a rich, tactile approach to contemporary still life through a sophisticated layering of acrylic paint, oil pastels, and gelatos. This multimedia process allows her to build a vibrant foundation of color with acrylics, which she then punctuates with the creamy, expressive marks of oil pastels and the soft, water-soluble glow of gelatos. The result is a canvas that feels alive with texture. She creates a narrative of stillness and observation. Each piece serves as a visual sanctuary, inviting the viewer to find wonder in the subtle intersections of flora and fauna.
