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Travels
inspire Oldham County
artist Barry’s equine scenes
She
will join more than
100 artists at ‘Arts on the Green’
By
Helen E. McKinney
Contributing Writer
LA GRANGE, Ky. – In her 24-year career
as a U.S. Secret Service agent, Karen Barry has experienced
many adventures and suspenseful moments. Her biggest challenge
now is to free her imagination to create her one-of-a-kind
equestrian artwork.
Barry prefers to work in two different mediums, oils and colored
pencils. She likes oils because of their flexibility; mistakes
can be corrected and if she doesn’t like the outcome,
she can change it without beginning the piece all over.
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Photo
provided
Karen
Barry specializes in equestrian
art, such as this oil painting
of “Roo.” She also
creates
artwork in colored pencil.
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Barry, 55, enjoys the details of colored pencils.
“I love to sketch and see the progress get more dimensional.
There is a lot of layering in colored pencils. You have to
see through the colors you apply to see the colors in the
finished piece.”
She also draws pets and other wildlife, seascapes and mountain
scenery. She travels a lot and has been to Colorado to paint
and sketch elk. Another favorite destination for artwork ideas
is Bermuda.
Barry will be one of 115 artists participating in the “Arts
on the Green” juried art show, June 7-8 at the Oldham
County Courthouse Square. Artists will have their work for
sale, in addition to contests for children, food vendors and
numerous prize drawings.
“We actually had to turn away 20 to 25 artists this year,”
said Marion Gibson, event chair. Gibson is past president
of the Arts Association of Oldham County, the entity that
sponsors this art show.
“We’ve tried to keep a nice balance and high level
of art,” said Gibson.
Gibson said she is encouraging people to come to La Grange
for a day and take time to visit the other attractions in
the county. A Garden Sculpture and Art Show and Sale will
be taking place at Yew Dell Gardens in Crestwood the same
weekend, and the Farmer’s Market will open up for the
season on Third Street on June 7.
As a participating artist for the fourth year in a row, Barry
likes the fact that “it’s not as large (as other
shows). It has grown every year, but is still manageable.”
She likes visiting with fellow artists, the public and knowing
that the show is close to home for her.
Barry lives on a farm and has been a resident of Oldham County
since 1996. She had moved to the area after a promotion by
the Secret Service to the Louisville Field Office. Upon retiring
in 2000, she decided she would seek professional art training.
Having had some art instruction in college, Barry did not
follow through with it but went on to teach for a year. She
then laid aside her artistic desires to join the Secret Service.
Since retiring, Barry has taken oil painting classes from
La Grange art instructor Angie Campbell. She has also taken
workshops conducted by Vera Curnow of Rising Sun, Ind., and
Cecile Baird, founders of the Colored Pencil Society of America.
Established in 1990, the society has more than 1,600 members
and represents 16 countries.
Originally from Davidsonville, Md., Barry didn’t own
her own horse until 1976, the year she began her career with
the Secret Service. This horse stuck with her through all
of her job transfers, until he died in 2006.
“I ride all of the time,” said Barry. As part of
her Secret Service education, Barry was trained to be a horse
agent. She was one of former President Ronald Reagan’s
horse agents.
Barry is still employed part-time by the Secret Service and
will be in Beijing, China, this year for the Olympics. Barry
created Bridlespur Art in 2006. Examples of her artwork and
additional information can be found online at www.bridlespurart.com
or by contacting her at (502) 225-0535.
• For more information on Arts on the Green,
contact Marion Gibson at (502) 338-4391 or visit: www.artsassociationofoldhamcounty.org.
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