By permission of the artist, The Cyber Art Show is pleased to feature the first of two 12-piece Exhibitions of works by American landscape artist Barry Monohon (born 1948 in Ottumwa, Iowa).

 

Barry studied graphic design, oil, and pastel painting with Mr. Peter Cornell from 1963 to 1966. During this time he was also in a rock band, playing bass guitar and singing vocals. Monohon moved to Berkeley, California, in 1967, where he was caught up in the Abstract Expressionist movement. However, he found himself sneaking off into the Berkeley hills with pastels,or tagging along with classes of UCB art students and drawing landscapes. He states that, "At that time, being a landscape painter wasn't considered a hip thing to do among my peers, so I kept them well hidden."

 

Monohon abandoned painting while living in Iowa City, Iowa, in the early 1970s. Seeing the intense sky colors and invigorating fields of sunlight upon his move to Lincoln, Nebraska in 1975, Monohon gained a renewed interest in landscapes. With the exception of a few still lifes, figure studies, and abstract works, his focus has been on landscape painting, drawing and printmaking.

 

When not working on landscape works he occupies his time making sculptures and three-dimensional wall works from concrete.

 

Barry maintains a studio in Lincoln, Nebraska, and has exhibited both nationally and in Europe. His artworks are found in numerous private and corporate collections.

 

Barry is currently a member of The Iowa Pastel Society. Monohon says that he chooses to keep his artwork on the thin edge of impressionism and expressionism.

 

Says Barry, "My mentor has been Edgar Degas. Through his quotes and published work examples I have gained a better insight into my own artwork and have bravely experimented outside the realm of intrepidly pretty artwork."