Explore the coast with the new exhibit at the Cultural Center

The Dartmouth Cultural Center is welcoming Beth Barry and her latest exhibit The Interior Horizon. 

“It’s a cross section of works,” said Barry. “Some small, some very large pieces. The things that are recurring with all of the images is … the exploration of color and light and movement because those things are very important to me.”

As she grew up in New Bedford, her art is informed by the coastline. 

“It’s about what I see externally and how I incorporate that into the imagery I make, which is abstract, but they all have a reference point of something real,” said Barry. 

She added, “They’re all places of real happiness and pleasure for me, mostly inspired by the water in Dartmouth and Horseneck Beach and the local areas in that area of Massachusetts.”

Barry started doing art as a child, and has not stopped since. She studied studio art and child development in college and got a masters in art therapy. 

“I’ve been in the art world, making art or dealing with people around art for a long, long time,” said Barry. 

She worked as a psychotherapist in New York, when she decided she wanted to start pursuing art again about 20 years ago. 

This is not the first time she has shown at the Cultural Center. She was a part of the National Association of Women Artists show, when she met the curator Jill Law. Law invited her to have a show of her own.

“I really like people responding to my work,” she said, “I’m very happy when people do because I know they’re having a visceral response to something.”

She added, “I’m very happy to … have my work be seen and have people enjoy it.”