WENATCHEE — What’s the point? For artist Gene Barkley of Chelan, pointillism is the point. His artwork is for sale and on display at Lemolo Cafe & Deli, 114 N Wenatchee Ave., beginning this month.
Barkley said in an artist’s statement that “the two questions I’m most asked are ‘what is pointillism?’ and ‘why do I use that style?’ The first question can be answered by definition.”
Pointillism is a method of painting by means of dots or small spots to create an image. It is a theory and technique developed during the 19th century neo-impressionist movement, and is based on the principle that juxtaposed dots of pure color are optically mixed into the resulting hue (for example, yellow and blue points in proximity become green).
Some paintings take over 100 hours for Barkley to create.
To answer the second question, he writes that he uses the style for the “evocative feeling of meditative release. I enjoy the process of building a painting. I have been a builder my whole life, a carpenter and a mason.”
“Painting for me is an intuitive process and I hope to create images that touch the viewer taking them to a place pleasurable and comfortable,” said Barkley in the press release.
Barkley opened the Wapato Gallery, which was one of the first galleries in Chelan and was open for 10 years, said his partner, Marianne Aylmer.
“Though self-taught for the most part, I have learned much by observation, association, study and perhaps a bit of piracy,” wrote Barkley, “I try to surround myself with artists friend who always inspire me.”
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