Barbara Bush

A Pittsburgh native, Barbara Kern-Bush finds her inspiration in all reality of her world. “ There was a sign in a floral shop window in my neighborhood that said ‘Bloom where you’re planted’, and this has become a sort of silent mantra for me as it somehow seems to restate my philosophy that an artist should paint what she knows.” Completing her first oil portrait of her grandfather by age 15, she says her deep urge to paint corresponds with an effort to simultaneously reach farther outward and inward . This show is both a presentation of her most recent work and a return to selected works along the way which reflect that journey. Now primarily working in oil and pastel, Barbra Kern-Bush’s past areas of interest and concentration include charcoal, collage and sculpture. She credits a discipline in sculpture with giving her a deep sense and appreciation for what lies underneath the form, giving her work credibility and a feeling of presence, and a love for drawing for helping her to express her world with grace and truth.