Meet our current exhibit artist Barbara Wirkus

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Barbara has been involved with the Les Malamut Art Gallery for decades. She is a board member and has exhibited in solo and group shows with us over the years.
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Starting out with black and white photography, Barbara developed and printed all her own images. Eventually the expense of the process and the need to use an outside source to print her images led her to consider going digital. Now, using an iPad or her digital Nikon DS3500 with Tamron Zoom lens, Barbara has captured, in color, the world around her.
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Barbara has an extensive background in photography. She has taken photography classes
at Kean College with Donald Lokuta, Union County College with Ward Brenckman and classes with award winning photographer Nancy Ori. She has also extended her skills by attending workshops at the Nikon School in New York City and at the NY Institute of Photography.
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A sampling of the solo exhibits she’s had over her long career include:
“Seascapes” West Haven CT – Library
“Scattergories” Montclair Hospital Gallery
“Child of My Child” Les Malamut Gallery
“Asbury Park-Boardwalk” Donald B.Palmer Museum
“Portfolio” Pearl Street Gallery
“Winter Garden” Kenilworth Library
“Backstage” Les Malamut Gallery
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Some of the group shows she has participated in:
Westfield Art Association Members Exhibitions
Children’s Specialized Hospital
The Spanish Tavern
Millburn Camera Club – Millburn Library
Union County Juried Art Show – Rahway
Art Exhibit – Freeholder’s Gallery – Elizabeth
Elizabeth Arts Council – Third Annual Exhibit
Les Malamut Art Gallery: Third Annual Juried Exhibit
2002 Invitational Art Exhibit Art Works – Board Members Exhibit
Three Points of View ASMP-NJ 8th Annual Juried Photo Competition
Contemporary Art Group – Children’s Specialized Hospital
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Her photography has also received numerous awards:
Milburn Camera Club – Top Award, Honorable Mentions (3)
Les Malamut Gallery – First Place, Honorable Mention
Union County Senior Art Exhibit – First Place, Third Place, Honorable Mentions (2)
Roselle Park Art Festival – Second Place
Festival-on-the-Green, Union – Third Place
Wild Birds Unlimited – Honorable Mention
Westfield Art Association – Award of Merit
Westfield Art Association- Award of Excellence
Analog Photography Users Group – Contest Winner (2)
NJ.Com Photo contest -Faces -First Place
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Meet the Artists – Nancy Ori

With this posting we end our look at artist statements. Writing an artist statement is not a one-time exercise. Yes, an artist should have one that speaks to the body of work in general, but for each exhibit, a specific artist statement must be crafted. It needs to be addressed to the theme of the exhibit and to the work(s) submitted.

What stands out in the copy from these 6 artists is the clarity in which they expressed the ideas behind their works, tying it into the exhibit’s theme. Some talked a bit about their background, some about the works themselves, all discussed how the theme influenced the creation and/or selection of their specific pieces.

However, an artist statement need not explain the works, but what it says should be intelligent enough for the reader, who then views the artwork, to get to know the artist and her/his creative inclinations. And yes, there is room for writing one that is either funny or a rant on something. But, it too, must be clearly written with an end in mind. Some of my favorite statements had me laughing as I viewed the artist’s pieces, others added a thoughtful dimension to the theme. It’s the ones that sound like an alien from another planet wrote it, leaving me scratching my head, that not a good statement makes!