MARINE ART
"The Tug Hudson," oil on canvas, 40 x 50 inches
DAVID BAREFORD by Ann Bilby avid Barefo rd summ ed up his thoughts on painting in a 1972 interview: "I paint paintings, not pictures. T he primary concern of a picture is representation-to show just what something looked like. But the primary concern of a painting is expression-to show the action and vitality that are presenr in the atmosphere of the place. Even tho ugh the painting may not look exactly like the scene itself, it may better convey what it was really like. And I wanr my paintings to be interesting whether they are viewed near or at a distance." David Bareford's interest in art began in high school in Warren, New Jersey, where he studied under Lawrence Von Seidel. By the time of his graduation, David had wo n rwo awards in a local art show. H e conrinued his education for rwo years at Wheaton College in Illinois, where he studied metal sculpture with guest instructor Donald Seiden of the Chicago Art Institute. In 1970 Bareford graduated with a BA in Fine Art from the U niversiry of Montana in Missoula, Montana. After college D avid returned to New England and began his career as a watercolorist. He concenrrated on painting outside,
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studying the movement oflight and its ever-changing effects on a subject. His work was soon included in the American Watercolor Sociery's Traveling Exhibition, where he quickly gained national recognition. Bareford received numero us awards for his watercolor paintings as he continued to exhibit his work in such acclaimed juried shows as the American Watercolo r Society and the National Academy of Design Ann ual Exhibi tion held in New York Ciry. After several years of successful study in the medium of watercolors, David Bareford turned his attention exclusively to oil painting. Bareford embraces the principles oflmpressionism, but he remains most interested in the paint surface: the paint itself. H e continues to work outside regularly, studying and painting light and life. H e recenrly commented about plein-air painting, " ... for it is righ t in front of your subject that yo u see, without consciously thinking about it, ligh t." It is this gifted abili ry to transfer beaury and light onto canvas that we celebrate in David Bareford's paintings. He sees that which is beautiful and responds to this beaury totally. He is SEA HISTORY 98, AUTUMN 2001