Meet the artist
Artist Bio:
Reneé Barnette is a contemporary mixed media artist, author, poet and vocalist from North Carolina. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of North Carolina in Wilmington with an emphasis in painting, printmaking and pottery. She has continued to expand her curiosity as an artist working with paint, clay, leather, beads or anything that catches her creative eye.
It wasn't until Reneé took an unexpected journey to India that her passion for her art was re-ignited. The contrast of life, suffering and love all mingled together in a tapestry of newfound hope. The "ancient" intertwined and connected to the "now," triggered a deep calling that she continues to pursue with each new creation. Layers of vibrant color and texture are prevalent throughout her body of work. Each piece is an extension of her fun loving personality and free spirit.
Reneé works as a Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist and as a Certified Yoga Instructor in Hickory North Carolina where she shares life with her husband Robert and Dachshund Macy.
Artist Statement:
I have always been influenced by art and creativity in all its many forms. My very first memories include a profound love of music and dancing with my Daddy around the dining room table, baking or gardening with my Momma and finding the closest mud puddle after a rain shower to make the very best mud pies around! The art of music, lyrics, colors, textures and fashion are evident in each of my works through all of the varied mediums I use to create them.
My expressive use of bold colors and an often-whimsical style will immediately grab the viewer and draw you in. This creative process flows between a concept or idea which begins without an end result in mind, leaving room for imagination and an inner intuition to come through. This freedom I seek to find goes beyond the mundane thoughts of the inner critic within and releases a loose and playful work which perhaps reflects the beauty of our perfectly imperfect human nature. For a moment you can step into a world that isn’t so dark or heavy, as life often is. My palette is extremely diverse including a wide range of materials such as acrylic paint, watercolors and inks. I also love to explore collage and assemblage with fabric, beads and other found objects. This love of working with my hands along with the innate drive to create which began in my early childhood has truly evolved and come full circle leading me to once again play in the mud. This time it is by spinning clay on the wheel and hand building shapes and forms sculpted into ceramic works that are both functional and decorative with a little whimsy “thrown” in (pun intended)!
I am thankful to be included in the rich heritage of talent of the Catawba Valley artisans community which has endured for more than 200 years. I am also proud that I can carry on this heritage and continue to retell of the legacy of my great uncle who was named the Forefather of North Carolina Potters, Mr. Burlon Craig. Thank you to the Old Rock School for this honor to exhibit some of my works.
* Burlon Craig was one of the most famous and influential potters of his time in which he received a National Heritage Fellowship Award from the National Endowment for the Arts as well as a North Carolina Folk Heritage Award from the NC Arts Council. His work is included in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC.