Artworks at library showcase city scenes
BY TODD SHIELDS tshields@pioneerlocal.com January 10, 2012 1:34PM
Glenview artist Audrey McCartney Barrett stands next to a work in progress painting, showing a Chicago intersection in the Wicker Park neighborhood at her studio in Glenview Sunday. Barrett's works are on display at the Glenview Public Library. | Michael
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Updated: February 13, 2012 8:21AM
The photographs and rough pencil sketches of people ambling and milling about Chicago’s active working class neighborhoods usually end up in Audrey Barrett’s paintings.
Snapping digital pics and drawing people busy at life are Barrett’s approach to her art.
“I take these pictures and drawings of people’s gestures and body languages and then consider putting them into my painting,” said the Glenview artist in her home studio, which was once a dining room.
Titled Cityscapes: Portraits of the Second City, 11 of Barrett’s paintings are on display at Glenview Public Library, 1930 Glenview Road, until Feb. 28.
Of the Cityscape series, eight pieces have been sold at galleries, and oil on canvas is on display until Feb. 5 at the Evanston Art Center Biennial Member Exhibition.
An artist for 40 years, the self-taught Barrett took up city scenes in 2010.
Her work also is presented in private and corporate collections, as well as in the Illinois State Museum permanent collection.
While people figure into Barrett’s work, they typically are set against a more imposing backdrop of old building facades, vehicles, movie marquees, street banners and lampposts in such neighborhoods as Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, Lake View and Ravenswood.
“I always liked buildings and architecture, their structures and their facades, but then I put people in my paintings, too. Body language, gesture, movement and energy are there,” she said.
“I research the histories of buildings and neighborhoods, if I can. I want others to have the same feeling I had in these places — a strong sense of place.”
At times, a friend will drive Barrett around Chicago’s north and northwest sides so she can concentrate on photographing people and places.
“I’m so impressed with how healthy they function as good places to live, like in Andersonville,” said Barrett, a member of the Glenview Art League, Wilmette Art Guild and Chicago Artists Coalition.
Her work can be seen at http://www.audreybarrettfineart.com.
Before depicting city scenes, for several years Barrett worked on illustrating native prairie plants.
“I love weeds,” she joked.
“I did a lot of botanical paintings,” she said, adding many of them were created at Glenview’s Techny Basin at Willow Road and Ravine Way, as well as Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe.
Before retiring in 2009, Barrett was a package graphic designer for Walgreens advertising department.
“My job was to develop graphic designs for product lines, new product development, illustrations when needed and specify product photography,” she said.
“Although unusual not to have had a commercial art education, I had taken a class in graphic design, worked for a printer briefly and had illustrated two children’s books. I began as an ad apprentice, then a package graphics designer.”
Barrett works on her paintings every day for three to four hours.
“I would describe my city paintings as optimistic, in which the future is good with good, young people living in these interesting places.”
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