Barbara Safran de Niverville

My parents were both artists in New York and, while growing up, I was fortunate to see a great deal of original and historically significant artwork.  I began to paint landscapes at the age of 16, when I was visiting my aunt and uncle on their farm by the Tantramar Marshes in Jolicure, NB.  In 1972, we moved as a family to Jolicure and in 1977, I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with Distinction from Mount Allison University, in Sackville, NB.  In 2012, I was awarded the Sheila Hugh MacKay Master of Fine Arts Scholarship to finish my Masters of Fine Arts degree at the Art Institute of Boston in 2014.

My formal studies have greatly widened my perspectives and enriched my creativity ideas.  Since 1975, I have been exhibiting my work professionally in commercial galleries and public institutions.  Although most of my exhibitions have been in Atlantic Canada, highlights have been shows in Ontario, Manitoba, Iceland and the USA.  This includes 30 solo exhibitions and participation in 32 group exhibitions over the years.

In 2021, “Vanitas Vivace”, a short, animated film produced in collaboration with Peter de Niverville (director-animator) and Abigail de Niverville (composer) premiered at the FLIGHT / Mostra Internazionale di Genova, International Film Festival in Genoa, Italy.  It was also shown at film festivals in Fredericton, NB and Halifax, NS.

I continue to take part in peer juries and to participate in cultural organizations.  I have taught art in public schools and undergraduate courses in the Département des arts visuels at the Université de Moncton, NB.  I live and maintain a full-time studio in Riverview, NB.

The dynamism, serenity and light of the natural world energizes my artwork. Experience in diverse landscapes inspires me to create eclectic artwork that engages viewers’ inner connections to nature.  A collection may share a common approach and a common theme, but each painting has its own story!

My process begins with an intuitive response to a specific location or landscape that I capture with photography, drawings, collages and journal entries. I develop specific techniques for each project and expand my concept with research and experimentation. Each artwork develops beyond its reference materials as I work with what I see emerging on paper, canvas or wood.


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