​Paige Barnard Artist

My name is Paige Barnard and I am a Fine Art BA (Hons) student at Plymouth University. I work a lot with process as the art form and running workshops / working collaboratively with different groups of people such as; children, young people and mental health groups. I am especially interested in Art Therapy and mental health work, which I am exploring and experimenting with in my work.

 

My work is highly influenced by Art Psychotherapy practices along with the creation of collaborative / relational artwork, through the use of interactive pieces. The use of location and perception within my work is quite important, as I aim to engage the viewer not only with the piece, but their surroundings and the rest of the audience as well.

 

I view my work positively and optimistically, as I believe that any mark made is good, as it has allowed the participant to engage and create by putting their own individuality and identity on the work along with others. My practice is about creating work that doesn’t discriminate, and invites the audience to stop being passive viewers and become engaged participants. 

 

As a part of my interest in mental health and collaborative artwork, I also work with the notion of identity in more of an ambiguous way within my practice. I try to do this through the use of chance and serendipity in interactive projects and art pieces to create work with some uncontrollable aspects.