About the Artist:
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Becky Barsi is a multimedia artist whose background is as varied as the artwork she creates. Coming from a family of artists and creatives, she approaches creation with experimentation and play. Her most recent work explores abstraction, color, and texture. Earlier work by the artist has explored themes of body image, emotion, and power, and have been presented through a variety of media including photography, installation, painting, collage, performance, and gunpowder.
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Barsi completed her M.F.A at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in the summer of 2017. She holds a B.S. in Visual Arts Education from SUNY New Paltz and an A.A.S from SUNY Cobleskill. Her work has been exhibited at Kelley Stelling Contemporary, Carolyn Jenkins Gallery, Nave Gallery, Patricia Doran Gallery, 3S Artspace, the Lamont Gallery, Karl Drerup Gallery, and many more. She is affiliated with the Women’s Caucus of Art, NH State Council for the Arts, National Art Education Association, NH Art Education Association, the Art Association of New England Preparatory Schools, and is on the Executive Board of the NH Scholastic Art Awards. Becky is the chair of the Visual Arts Department at the Derryfield School in Manchester, New Hampshire, where she teaches visual arts classes and manages the Lyceum Gallery. She lives in the woods of southern New Hampshire with her husband, Chris, and their dog, Charlie.
Art teachers are often expected to understand and teach with a variety of media and techniques. In contrast, fine artists are often categorized into singular categories, e.g., painter, printmaker, or sculptor. As an art teacher AND a fine artist, my artwork bridges these two worlds. I am a creator.
I create my work in a variety of media, and I never hesitate to jump from one project to another. The real challenge in creating and being a full-time art teacher is simply having enough time to devote to my artist practice. Creating new artwork is essential for finding balance in my life. It isn’t always easy. Even if I am able to make it to my studio only once a week during the school year, those few hours to devote to my creativity, to get messy, to listen to music, and to breathe are a success. In turn, my experiments in the studio (digital or physical) help me to be a better teacher. My studio space becomes a place to take risks, to experiment, and to make mistakes. I practice with new media and techniques, research artists, and then I bring my experiences back into the lessons I teach my students every day. I create so that I may help others to create.