Nancy Barron, Hidden Garden, acrylic on cradled birch panel, 12 x 12 in., 2024.
Behind the Spindleworks Art Center in Brunswick, Maine, lingers a secret tucked away in the back parking lot, nestled against the blue walls of the historic building. This hidden garden was created on-site at my workplace—Spindleworks—a vibrant, creative space that this work imitates with its bright, blooming tulips, representing the creative process and communities taking place, as well as the frailty of life. The stages of a tulip mimic those of a person.
Nancy Barron, Magic Garden, acrylic on cradled birch panel, 24 x 24 in., 2023.
Bearable summer heat is best spent with a dear friend in the shade. Beams of sunlight come through new July growth like a spotlight. Sketchbooks in hand, pens and brushes scattered about, we drink coffee and other beverages. With partners and children off on adventures, we reminisce about our own adventures, past and future. We paint and plan, accompanied by fiery bee balm and the water.
Nancy Barron, Yarrow and Allium, Acrylic on cradled birch pane, 12 x 12 in., 2024.
When I know I’m going to paint, I anticipate the experience like a child going on a play date. That may be why I’m drawn to flowers that look like they’re socializing. The flourishes, gestures, leaning, listening, reacting. While painting them, I’m part of the conversation, sometimes as an observer, other times as an invited guest. Play is the objective, for myself absolutely, and I imagine for the flowers as well.