South Australian artist Mike Barr is driven by the belief that it is not what is seen, but what is felt, that truly matters in art. His work aims to evoke an instantaneous connection with the mood of rainy city streets, and his impressionistic style – influenced by French and Australian painters – encourages viewers to complete the narrative in their own minds.
With over 80 awards to his name, including 20 for “Best in Show”, Mike’s rainy paintings of Melbourne have earned recognition in Maree Coote’s award-winning book “The Art of Being Melbourne”, which charts the history of the city through the work of its artists. He is honored to stand alongside esteemed painters such as Streeton, Roberts, Smart, Beckett and others in their depictions of Melbourne.
Mike is also a respected voice in the art community, serving as a columnist for the UK magazine “The Artist”, as well as having written for The Australian Artist Magazine, The Acrylic Artist and best-selling art magazine “PleinAir Magazine”.
In 2021, he was invited by the South Australian Art Gallery to demonstrate during an exhibition of one of his favorite artists, Clarice Beckett.
When he is not exhibiting his work, Mike Barr can often be found painting en plein air around the Fleurieu Peninsula with his artist wife Tina. He is also a Fellow of the Royal South Australia Society of Arts, and has had exhibitions in the US, UK, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.
