Barbara Zakrzewska

Self-taught, led by her passion for painting, Barbara has faithfully stood by her brushes since her childhood. Born in 1947 in Warsaw, Poland, she graduated with a master's degree in Arabic and Islamic Studies from Warsaw University's Faculty of Oriental Sciences in 1970, and soon after left Poland. After two years in the Middle East and five years in France, she settled in Montreal, Canada in 1978 with her husband and their two children. At first, she threw herself into translation. Then, between 1981 and 1993, she worked at the University of Montreal and UQAM teaching literature, history and civilization of the Arab World. At the same time, starting in 1985, she began working for the Quebec Ministry of Immigration, where she continued up to 2014.

She painted only in bouts, but stubbornly; whenever and wherever she could, she would grab her brushes and canvas. Her stay in Cameroun, Africa in 1990-1991 was particularly fruitful. In 2001, Barbara went to Italy with a group under the sponsorship of Yves Larocque to paint in Tuscany. She repeated the same experience in 2003, this time travelling to Mexico, where she worked at the Art Institute at San Miguel Allende.

She has exhibited in La Fratta, Italy; Yaoundé, Cameroun; Montreal and Ottawa, Canada.

Changing subjects, styles and mediums, Barbara continues her perpetual, creative journey.

THE ART OF THE PAST

I am very concerned for the future, whereas today the tendency that seems to dominate is rather to forget the past. Some say we should not look too far back, because it prevents us from moving forward. Yet man as a tree can not live without roots. He needs the past to make sense of the future.  In art, as in any other field, the past counts. Having studied old civilizations, I have a true cult of history and an enormous adoration of the past.

In the field of art I am self-taught and it is quite spontaneous that in many of my works, I turned to the past seeking inspiration from the great painters. My four paintings presented here are a tribute to VAN GOGH, GEORGIA O'KEEFE, MARC ROTHKO, MARC CHAGAL.
1. Van Gogh in the Polish countryside 2. My poppies (inspiration from GEORGIA O'KEEFE) 3. Abstraction (inspiration from MARC ROTHKO) 4. I take my Mom to heaven (inspiration from MARC CHAGAL) This last painting represents the place where I live in Montreal, just in front of Mount Royal Mountain. This painting is also a very difficult time in my life - the loss of my Mother. On the right, at the bottom of the painting, you can see a corner of my home. This is where Mom spent her last years because she lived with me.  To the left of the painting, you can see the roofs of the Royal Victoria Hospital, where she spent her last days ... My mother was a joyful person. She gave me the example of courage, perseverance, strength of survival and foolproof optimism. My painting, despite my mourning and my deep sadness is done in soft and joyful colors, in her image ... I think she would like it to be that way ...

Barbara Zakrzewska