Last week I visited the Charles H. Taylor Visual Arts Center in Hampton, Virginia, to see the Please Touch the Art exhibit by Sally Barker. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen these works since the artist is my mother.
Around the turn of the century, my mom had the brilliant idea to represent colors with fabric so that a blind person could appreciate the visual art that we take for granted. She has sewed/quilted over a hundred “homages” to famous paintings like the Mona Lisa, Van Gogh’s Starry Night and The Scream by Edvard Munch.
The core of her idea was a consistent mapping of fabric to color. Satin is red, taffeta orange, flannel yellow, velvet green, wool blue and linen is purple. Darker shades are backed with cardboard and lighter shades are backed with soft quilt batting. She called it the B-Code, “B” for Barker after her husband/my father, Larry.
By the way, her homage to the famous poster of Jane Avril by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec inspired one of my most published poems, Jane Avril at the Moulin Rouge, 1893.
My mother’s art is on display until August 23rd so if you’re even vaguely near Hampton, Virginia, I hope you’ll check it out.
Bartholomew Barker, Poet 
I would love to visit! Your mom is incredibly talented and what a beautiful and empowering art form, making art more accessible. Thank you for sharing, Bart. Creative and talented family! 👏🏻
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Michele! Yes, my mom is quite impressive.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m sure she’s quite proud of you, too! You’re very welcome. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such a wonderfully creative concept, Bart … well done ‘Mum’
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Ivor. I’ll pass your comment along to her.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s pretty cool, that touching is encouraged. It made me wonder about doing a tour in the dark or blindfolded, and then about what material and colour a souvenir eye-mask might be, and then about how much money might be raised by purchases made for a charity night tour. Further, what kind of poems would spring from a reading of each picture by a poet son? Could they be purchased by donation in advance or auctioned off?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Those are a lot of thoughts! There’s nothing proprietary about the B-Code. If you can sew, you can do it yourself.
LikeLiked by 1 person
older sister was a fashion designer and taught textiles, now volunteering at a charity that does fashion fund raisers… could be onto something
LikeLiked by 1 person
She’s welcome to contact me, if she’s interested in more info.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Bart.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Those are excellent ideas – especially what poems might spring from touching without seeing – not only by the artists son, but by anyone – really good ideas!
LikeLiked by 2 people
This is amazing, as is your mom.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agreed! Thanks, Nicole.
LikeLike
What a brilliant and kind idea! Love it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes it is. Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is such an excellent idea! Wow! And I love the cross-inspiration. Creativity, a family business!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed it is. And both my grandmothers were published authors too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some might quibble and ask how would a blind person know what those colours are to start with? Some folk have sight, then lose it, or have feint sight and this presentation of the images could therefore mean more to them.
I’m strongly reminded of Stevie Wonder singing….. ‘I know that trees are green, they only turn to brown, when autumn comes around’. He knows.
LikeLiked by 1 person
When my mom would show her art to sightless folks, she got a mix of responses, overwhelmingly positive but some didn’t care. Usually they were the ones who’d never experienced sight. But others wanted to get a “feel” for what we make such a fuss about.
LikeLiked by 1 person
‘…..what we make such a fuss about’…..I’m thinking of ‘The Country of the Blind’ by H.G. Wells.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Never read that one. I’ll have to check it out. Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so happy to see her legacy continues. <3
LikeLiked by 1 person
And I’m proud to continue it.
LikeLike
Extraordinary talent!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agreed!
LikeLike
Wow, Bart! You were destined to be linked to art in some way.
What a brilliant concept!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is a great concept, simple and elegant. While there may be a genetic component to art, I bet it’s more nurture than nature.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re in m’blog – with a tale of me…smelling a tree….. http://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=17448
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you for promoting my mom’s work!
LikeLike
Wow your mum is legendary!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, she is!
LikeLike
What a creative mind – art where you feel the colors! I would love to go through the exhibit with my eyes closed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’ve got another 11 days to get to Hampton.
LikeLike
That’s incredible, very creative! 😊
LikeLiked by 2 people
Indeed. She had to get very creative with some of the sewing techniques to replicate the paintings.
LikeLiked by 1 person
How cool! Congratulations!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Dawn!
LikeLike