Nicola Barnes
born in 1988, Grantham.

nbarnes_88@hotmail.com

Statement

Nikki's work reflects British Society, the dysfunctional everyday public representing ‘normality’.
Bimbo, Chavs, Old people, Stereotypes, Indecency, McDonalds, Marks & Spencers, Fame, Working-Class, Forgotten, Blue Eye-shadow, Fake Burberry Caps, Grey, ‘Snog, Marry or Avoid?’, Market Stall Sportswear, Martin Parr, Pension, Dole Office, Blonde, Petty Crime and Violence, Helpless, Barbie, Fags, White Cider, Cups of Tea, Fake Tan, Fake Breasts, False teeth, Argos 9crt Gold Jewellery, Makeup, Jeremy Kyle, Status, Retired, Child Benefits, Page 3, Bitter, Poor Health, William Hogarth, Hanging Around Parks and Bus-Shelters, Stella Vine, Materialistic, In-Bred, Littering, Vandalism, Old-Fashioned, Money, Massive Stolen Television, Bungalow, Tasteless, Poor Education, Crap Modded Nova, Attention, Huge Gold Earrings With Your Name Across Them, Grandparents, Lotto Lout Michael Carroll, Chantelle Houghton, Tracksuits, Zimmer-Frame, Council Estate, Underage Sex, Reputation, Weak, ‘Up The Duff’, Bling, Cruising Around in Cars, Designer, Playboy, Charity Shops, Lily Allen, Football Hooligans, Past Memories, Drugs, Slag’s, Lyrics, Soup, Cheating, Pushing ‘Bab-ees’ Around in Car boot Sale Prams, THC, Carlsberg Special Brew, Lonely. “My Idol is Jodie Marsh”, “Ey, I been shaggin’ Joe’s mom, she’s a right dirty slag mate!” “The youth of today is a disgrace, back in my day there was nothing like this, you don’t know your born!”
These are things Nikki's interested in and inspirations Nikki uses within her practise. When creating paintings, the main key part of my source material is extracting from photographs. In general Nikki uses the internet, magazines, television and newspaper clippings  but the most comprehensive image is retrieved when Nikki goes out among the streets and town centre and asks permission for a photograph of someone who catches her eye. This enables her a primary photograph but also from the two minutes asking and taking the photo, Nikki gets to meet this person, so She can conclude a clear image of their personality and who this person is. 

Old people in our generation are generally ignored and disregarded, functioning as  the forgotten people (the dregs) of our society. We don’t particularly pay interest to them and they’re not seen as icons on our television screens or magazines. When painting the elderly, the paint strokes Nikki uses are thin and layered concentrating the image. Nikki projects their vulnerability and fragile, awkward, stiff body language, their trapped lifestyle and the elderly person representing a ‘shadow’ of their past.
Television is another favourite source, as for example ‘The Jeremy Kyle Show’. Nikki enjoys experiencing these characters on T.V when they’re the people you would bump into in everyday, public places. We watch appalled and snigger at them on our screens, shouting publicly their personal, outlandish problems which makes ‘good T.V’.
Lily Allen, a British pop singer, also drives major incentive for my work. Her songs are about British culture, violence, sex, relationships, drugs and people including Cheryl Cole, George Bush and Kate Moss. Nikki has used some of her controversial lyrics within my Jeremy Kyle paintings instead of using the normal problem headings. This injects humour and a sense of fantasy into my paintings, which have been originally derived from reality. Lily Allen’s songs regard deep, dark subjects, but her music and voice creates a bouncy, happy, upbeat tune. Her lyrics create contrast against the music and Nikki wanted to portray similar contrasts within her own work. Nikki has used pastel colours to create a cute, pretty palette imitating a degraded fictional character when the person is actually existent.

Education

University of Wales Institute Cardiff                             
Howard Gardens, Cardiff                               2006-2009
BA (HONS) in Fine Art, Painting - 1st  

Boston College
De Montfort Campus, Lincolnshire                        2004-2006
BTEC National Diploma in Fine Art - Merit

Previous Exhibitions

Group Exhibitions

“Fine Art Degree Show” - University of Wales Institute Cardiff, Howard Gardens - June 2009

“Small Paper Works” - UWIC Capitol Centre Gallery, Cardiff - November 2008

“2nd year painting” - Jacob’s Market, Cardiff - March 2008

“Painting” - The Haven Gallery, Boston Lincolnshire - October 2005

Awards

Art & Design Award - December 2004
Haven High Association Cup - December 2004
Ida Alcorn Cup for Art and Design - December 2004
Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award - April 2003