Chloe Barnes is a printmaker and artist currently residing in Bristol, UK. During her MA in Multi-Disciplinary Printmaking at the University West of England, she specialised in monoprinting, a process which combined her love of painting and drawing.
Chloe’s monotypes are inspired by found photography, stories, and her experiences of the world. Most recently, she completed a body of work based on Atalanta, the heroine of hunting from Greek mythology. To fuel the imagery, Chloe incorporated costumes and masks and took reference photos of herself re-enacting the character. By stepping into Atalanta’s shoes, Chloe could channel her thoughts and feelings into figurative prints. Whether she creates a portrait, figure study, or a narrative scene, the expressive and unpredictable characteristics of monoprinting allow Chloe to imbue a sense of emotional resonance between the subject and the viewer.
Now that she has finished her masters, Chloe is based at Spike Print Studio. With a painterly approach to image-making, her print station consists of an easel, drawing board, plate (aluminium or plexiglass), and an assortment of brushes, rollers, and scrim. Depending on the size, Chloe paints directly onto the plate using oil-based inks for up to 6-7 hours. The image, which is later printed onto paper using an etching press, is made using a combination of light and darkfield techniques. Switching between scrim and brushes, Chloe constantly plays with positive and negative space; the interplay between her subject and its surroundings infuses her work with movement and a sense of drama.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Chloe is inspired by expressionist artists such as Egon Schiele and Edvard Munch, as well as Francis Bacon, Paula Rego, Tracey Emin and Marcelle Haneslaar. Although the human figure is at the heart of her practice, Chloe often distorts the form away from literal representation. By working within a short time period, her image-making is intuitive and spontaneous, leaning into the expressionist genre.
After recently exhibiting at the Royal Society of British Artists Bicentennial Annual Exhibition and winning the Hahnemuhle Fine Art Award, Chloe is building her career as an emerging artist by regularly exhibiting her monotypes. Wanting to become a master in monoprinting, she plans to relocate to London later in the year to continue developing her knowledge and skills surrounding painting and intaglio processes with established master printmakers and artists.
www.chloebarnesartist.com
@chloe_barnes_artist
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