Biography
Artist born in America, moved to Belgium at the age of seventeen to develop his style
in painting. Came in contact with two Flemish master painters who gave him lessons
for a number of years; the realist Louis Jacques Camerlinckx (1920-1989) and the
expressionist Staf van Elzen (1915-1987), he also got education at the academy of
Antwerp.
At the beginning he painted impressionistic landscapes, later he developed a more
expressionistic style with also abstract flowers and figures. Always oil on canvas. Years
later his work got a more abstract expressionistic direction. After 9/11 he only painted
flowers for a while, creating colourful works in a very positive way. His talent was seen
at a very young age, when he was seventeen he won the State prize of drawing, an
important award. In Belgium he was the founder of an art group called 'Asikan 22.40'.
The number refers to the time at night when the name was created and the name itself
was a distraction of: 'when I can'. This art group came together as a reaction to society
and was formed by a number of artists who organised exhibitions together, especially in
Belgium. When Richard Lee Barton returned to America the group fell apart. Meanwhile
some of them have contact again.
Former President Bill Clinton visited several exhibitions of Richard Lee Barton in Little
Rock and also HRH Queen Beatrix has one of his works in her collection.
The paintings of Richard Lee Barton are very colourful and remain beautiful; even after
years you can see new forms and other remarkable tints of colour. These works have a
very extraordinary spirit. They inspire and make you feel good. It is not surprising that
there are so many admirers of the work of Richard Lee Barton.
Artist Statement
What do you do when you face a blank canvas?
With only a brush and paint you won't come far.
So you pray for inspiration,
and with memories in your heart and soul,
you begin to paint, a labour of love.
Creating forms, compositions, and
movements in colour.
Moving forward with hope
to uplift someone, even yourself.
Making a statement for now and forever.
With a visual message.
Coming from within and from above.
Richard Lee Barton
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