Thistle Collage

ARTIST STATEMENT AND BIO It is color which takes the leading role in my work. I love to work on paper - my paper weavings and collages in particular, are a process of unearthing a new expression through intentional or accidental placement of color. Whatever the medium, I explore how colors relate to one another, how they generate responses, how they evoke moods. Barbara Rabkin, a self-educated multi-media artist, taught and exhibited her art in her hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio. She continued to teach and show her art in Panama, where she and her late husband lived for 9 years. Barbara currently lives and creates art in her home studio in Carmel Valley, San Diego. She is a member of the San Diego Watercolor Society, the Art Alliance of the Oceanside Museum of Art and Escondido Arts Partnership. Barbara developed her interest in painting on silk when requested to make a wedding chuppa for her oldest son. She continued to develop this art form, creating Judaica and wearable art for clients and teaching silk painting privately and at the Art Academy of Cincinnati’s community education program. In Panama, Barbara opened a studio and taught silk painting to visiting tourists as well as residents from throughout the region. She also took advantage of the colorful culture and impressive landscapes to create large quilted impressionistic tapestries in her hand dyed silk, as well as watercolors and acrylic paintings. ​ Barbara’s art- acrylics, watercolors, oils, pencil, collages, mosaics, clay, textiles- shows her affinity for the rich colors and bold lines of the expressionists. Barbara’s commissions and other works are in private collections throughout Panama, Israel, Europe and the US. ​