Welcome to jeffbarnum.com, where I share my work as an artist and social entrepreneur.
My art is about the transformation of death into life, and derives from my experiences of both the spiritual and physical dimensions of life. In twenty years of making art, I learned art history, art theory, and technique form art school—but I've also learned that in order to say something worthwhile, I must speak about what I find most meaningful—and I put that into my work.
The paintings are generally oil stick and oil paint on acrylic on canvas. Drawings are typically mechanical pencil on 14x17 inch paper, and I sometimes use other media such as cardboard, charcoal, or paint. I also make sculpture, prints, and video.
Another aspect of my practice is to understand creativity and its development. Understanding creativity can help us be creative in art, in life, and in our efforts to improve our societies. The process of making art is the perfect instructor in how creativity actually works—but I find that learning to be creative requires me to experience the thresholds I try to depict in my work.
