Danielle Barrow

Barrow’s contemporary paintings detail the ever-changing relationship between man and nature. Her works aim to challenge the audience and bring the question to them on how their relationship with nature affects the balance. By contrasting structured line work with organic free-flowing forms the paintings highlight the fickle nature of balance and how one mark can tip the scales. Barrow advocates for harmony through her paintings, the raw element of unframed paper being held by pins showcasing the confines artists hold themselves to, this is also referenced by the wooden structures often build on top of her works.

Barrow’s paintings include rooftops and tree roots signifying the looking up where the buildings of man stop, and the sky of nature continues. The tree roots act as anchors, holding the paintings together and giving life to the structure. Barrow paints in bold colours, her usage of ink and water helps blend these colours together to create harmony within her paintings.

Barrow’s large paintings tower over her audience, dominating the space they are in. They demand attention and recognition. Her choice of building her paintings larger than life comes from buildings, the way humans are so accustomed to walking past towering structures without a second thought. Her work aims to question the motive of bigger is better, the paintings stealing the space they are in much like how man builds over nature and dominates the natural landscape.