Born in Palmerston North in 1965, Kathy Barber now lives and works in Auckland. Barber has regularly exhibited in New Zealand and Australia since 2000, and is represented in private collections throughout New Zealand, Sydney, Melbourne and London.
"I look to my memories and experiences as a starting point for my creative process. Many visits to Japan have influenced my practise, it is a country of contrasts - a sensory overload of chaos and calm.
The repetitive and meditative nature of my painting practise is of comfort to me. This same approach is why I love working with wire. My initial project was taking a remembrance rock and weaving around it and in doing so, making the ordinary un-ordinary.
Unknowingly I had stumbled upon Kanaami- a centuries old Japanese craft of weaving with wire where artisans produce beautiful and functional pieces like tea strainers and baskets.
My approach to wire weaving is unique and sits within a sculptural realm. All works are completely hand woven and the collective is called Te-ami, which means “hand netting” in Japanese. The collective includes woven wall tondos (circular), baskets, vases and woven rocks- all unique in their visual outcome."
- Kathy Barber