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Barry Rafuse
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New to the Okanagan, Barry Rafuse has chosen Lavington as his final retirement location, following a long career in B.C. Corrections.
Barry Rafuse is largely a self taught artist, although he has studied at Emily Carr
College of Art and Design. He has also attended numerous workshops with well known
artists. He has acted as a juror for exhibitions, and was one of only four local artists
to be invited to paint large paintings for the University of Northern BC. Rafuse passes
on his talent by teaching others.
Rafuse has been actively exhibiting his work since 1989 in northern BC. He has had work accepted into many juried competitions, including the annual British Columbia Exhibitions, Images and Objects, for 9 consecutive years. Rafuse also won first place in
the Interior Images Art Competition in 1994.
Barry Rafuse says of himself:
I like to paint pictures which leave something for the viewer's imagination. am attracted to nature and often my paintings reflect a mood. I am Fascinated by the forces of nature - the power of a thunderstorm, the ravages of the waves, the shimmer of wind on
the grasses or the magic of sunrays. My challenge is to capture this drama in paint.
My brush strokes are loose and aggressive as are the marks I make with pastels. My
paintings have to happen quickly - if they don't come together with ease, I won't be
satisfied with the end result. It is the speed which gives the paintings a spontaneous
look - a striking, bold result. I often use brilliant colors which increases the drama
I seek. I am influenced by a group of Seven and by David Milne.
Barry Rafuse's talent is not limited to paintings. For the past 3 years he has found enjoyment in creating unique hand built pottery using the hand built technique.
Barry Rafuse
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