Barbara Schaefer

Websites: barbaraschaefer.me and lorcab@aol.com

Barbara SchaeferI am an interdisciplinary artist. My paintings and photographs are exhibited internationally. I obtained a BFA from The University of Arizona, an MFA from San Francisco State University. I won a Helen Wurlitzer Foundation Artist-in-Residency award, the New York Foundation For The Arts Sponsorship, a grant from the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, an Artist-in-Residency award at the Fundación Valparaiso and grant from Franklin Furnace. I had a solo museum exhibition at the Museo Comunale D’Arte Modernain, Senigallia, Italy.

 

I work at night, in the dark. I discover and am surprised by the absence of light and noise. Using only flickers from a flashlight, I paint with light.

My work in various art forms – dance, choreography, continuum movement, writing and music – has informed and enhanced my primary work as a visual artist. The inter-relationship of these disciplines develops my awareness of the underlying principles that are essential to all art forms. First, all art-making requires presence, patience and showing up for the work, even when it seems nothing is happening. Then, listening, observation, decisiveness, and release.

Involvement with Continuum

I have been working with Continuum Movement since 1995. I was introduced to Continuum by the late, Barbara Mindell, a childhood friend. Barbara’s healing, her transformation and evolution through the process of Continuum, was an inspiration and example, which showed me that there are broader possibilities to movement than culture recognizes, that honor the body’s intelligence and create a climate for its capacities to emerge.

I attended workshops with Emilie since 1995, with Barbara Mindell and continue to take classes regularly with Mary Abrams. I practice regularly and Continuum informs everything I do.