Artist Bio
taylor barnes is a contemporary fibers artist and ceramicist. Her work consists primarily of mixed media fibers techniques and charcoal on cloth. barnes’ work takes on subjects of spirituality, oral histories, power, and bell hooks philosophies testing the object/subject divide. Her figures are to be understood as her spiritual guides unbound by time. Her objects contain undeniable presences as activation of the inanimate is at the core of her practice. All this, guiding her to construct spaces in which their truths be revealed.
barnes received her MFA in Fibers from the University of North Texas. She has exhibited in solo exhibitions at 154 Contemporary African Art Fair in Harlem NY, Big Medium in Austin TX, Erin Cluley Gallery in Dallas TX, and Martha’s Contemporary in Austin TX. Her work has been collected by the Mead Museum, board members of the New Museum, and families of professional athletes. Her numerous group exhibitions include Untitled Art Fair in Miami, FL, South Dallas Cultural Center in Dallas TX, Carver Museum in Austin TX, and Dallas Art Fair in Dallas TX. barnes received the Dallas Museum of Art's Arch and Giles Kimbrough Fund Award 2021 and was honored with the Sylvia Houlgand Emerging Artist Award for Make Art with Purpose 2020 and multiple art focused scholarships throughout her education. Her work has been featured on Artsy, Glasstire, KERA, and The Dallas Morning News. barnes lives and works in Austin, Texas.
CV
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Solo Exhibitions
2023 - Break. Origin Studio House. Austin, TX
2023 - P U L L: into the new. Martha’s Contemporary. Austin, TX
2022 - 154 Contemporary African Art Fair. NY, NY
2022 - Holding Onto Elsewhere. Erin Cluley Gallery, Dallas, TX
2020 - Pressure. Big Medium Gallery, Austin, TX
2020 - (un)box. Cage Match Project. Museum of Human Achievement. Austin, TX
2019 - Sacred Spaces. Erin Cluley Gallery, Dallas, TX
2019 - Who’s Next? MFA Exhibition. UNT Art Gallery, Denton, TX
2019 - My Genesis. Denton Black Film Festival, UNT on the Square, Denton, TX
2019 - Read My Mind. 500x Gallery, Dallas, TX
Group Exhibitions
2024 - SBM: V3. Carver Museum, Austin TX
2023 - Portal. Future Front Texas. Austin TX
2023 - A Day In A Cage. Laguna Gloria, The Contemporary Austin, Austin, TX
2023 - Converging Transparencies: A Black History Month Exhibition. Business Council of the Arts, Dallas, TX
2018 - Summer Expo. Erin Cluley Gallery, Dallas, TX
2018 - Full Circle. Erin Cluley Gallery, Dallas, TX
2018 - Interlude. Greater Denton Arts Council, Denton, TX
2018 - 57th Annual Voertman Juried Student Exhibition. UNT Lightwell Gallery, Denton, TX
2018 - College Expo. 500x Gallery, Dallas, TX
2018 - Temporary Collective. 500 Singleton, Dallas, TX
2018 - #Melaninpoppin’ Janette Kennedy Gallery, Dallas, TX
2017 - #WIP. Cora Stafford Gallery, Denton, TX
2017 - Field Notes. UNT Lightwell Gallery, Denton, TX
2017 - SEVEN: Fibers. ARTROOM Gallery, Ft. Worth, TX
2017 - Making Waves: Moving Minds. Gallery 76102, Ft. Worth, TX
2015 - Your Daily Dose of Fibers. UNT Lightwell Gallery, Denton, TX
2015 - Stillness… Voertman’s Gallery, Denton, TX
Workshops + Lectures
2024 - Austin Community College: Racial Healing, Austin, TX
2023 - University of Texas San Antonio: Threading History: An Artist’s Reflection on Textile Art, San Antonio, TX
2022 - Southern Methodist University Division of Art Lecture: taylor barnes, Dallas, TX
2022 - Texas Woman's University Artist Lecture: taylor barnes, Denton, TX
2021 - Texas Talks Art: Conversation with Austin-based artist taylor barnes and John Spriggins of the South
2021 - Dallas Cultural Center, Dallas, TX
2020 - Coffee Chat: taylor barnes with Big Medium, Austin, TX
2019 - Invited Panelist: Conversation with Barbara McCraw and Taylor Barnes, UNT on the Square, Denton, TX
2019 - Artist Talk: Taylor Barnes “My Genesis,” UNT on the Square, Denton, TX
2018 - Workshop Leader: Compose a Loom, Marshall, NC
2018 - Invited Lecture: Artist Talk: Taylor Barnes, Haywood Community College, Clyde, NC
2017 - Invited Lecture: Making Waves: Moving Minds, Gallery 76102, Fort Worth, TX
Awards + Honors
2024 - Small Black Museum Artist Residency, Carver Museum, Austin TX
2021 - Dallas Museum of Art's Arch and Giles Kimbrough Fund Award 2021, Dallas, TX
2019 - Sylvia Holgan Emerging Artist Award, Make Art With Purpose, Dallas, TX
2018 - College of Visual Arts and Design Scholarship, University of North Texas, Denton, TX
2018 - James T. Rhea Scholarship, College of Visual Arts and Design, University of North Texas, Denton TX
2018 - Honorable Mention, Voertman’s Gallery Exhibition, Denton, TX
2018 - Fellow Scholarship, Arrowmont School of Arts and Craft, Gatlinburg, TN
2017 - Outstanding Student Award, Surface Design Association