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“He Has Four Daughters”
An Art Exhibit at the Ortlip Art Gallery, Houghton College
HOUGHTON, NY, September 3, 2009 — Rare is the occasion that multiple members of the same family show artistic promise and work to perfect their particular craft as part of their life dream. Imagine then the uniqueness of the Barry family—led by a father who taught high school art and has four daughters: Sarah, Alice, Juliet and Colleen—all of whom studied art at Houghton College and continue to explore the possibilities within their chosen field. The artistic works of this extraordinary family are now on display at the Ortlip Art Gallery, Houghton College through September 8, 2009. A special dessert reception with live music will be held on Friday, September 4, 2009 at 7 p.m. in the Ortlip Art Gallery with remarks given by the artists.
Howard Barry taught art at Holley High School from 1974–2005, and it becomes apparent that his own passion for the arts was passed along to his four daughters, thus establishing the Barry family tradition. “Exhibiting our work together really demonstrates our family unity, but at the same time shows the diversity and respect we have for one another. We really encourage each other, real Christian love,” he commented. Barry and his wife currently reside in Holley, NY.
First to follow in his artistic footsteps was daughter Sarah Barry Morgan ‘99, who nurtured a talent for painting while attending Houghton. “I felt strongly about attending a Christian college. Houghton was one of the only Christian colleges at the time that had an art major and a women’s soccer team,” Morgan recalled. After graduation she worked on her portfolio and was a substitute teacher, knowing that she likely wanted to pursue teaching at the college level. Sarah earned her M.F.A. in 2002 from The New York Academy of Art and is now an assistant professor of art at Finger Lakes Community College teaching drawing, painting, and printmaking. Her path would not have been possible without her father’s encouragement. “From my father, I learned that art is important, and that it is a career worth pursuing,” she stated. Sarah currently resides in Mumford, NY with her husband.
Next in line was Alice Barry Drew ’00 who focused on ceramics at Houghton. Alice received her B.A. in studio art from Houghton and her M.F.A. in ceramics from R.I.T. at The School for American Crafts in 2003. She recalled her time at Houghton and stated, “I grew and matured in my faith—my walk with Christ. I gained the foundational knowledge to pursue graduate studies.” Exhibiting her work with her family has been an amazing and enlightening experience. “Seeing that we all have a different style, aesthetic sensibility and affinity towards different materials is apparent in the exhibit. We are all serious about being artists, participating in and contributing to the art world,” she remarked. Alice has been a member of the art faculty at Roberts Wesleyan College since 2005 and teaches ceramics, sculpture and 3D. She, her husband and their baby reside in Rochester, NY.
Juliet Barry ’04 attended Houghton College for a multitude of reasons. “My older sisters had very good experiences at the college, especially with regards to the art department. I also went there because I desired to learn in a Christian environment,” she stated. Juliet graduated with a concentration in painting and credits her father for nurturing her talent. “My dad was influential in teaching me the technical skills I needed to pursue art in college. As a child, he was always there to offer ways to improve my art without discouraging me,” Barry commented. She offers her advice for current art students: “Take criticism and run with it. Listen to your peers and above all, your professors. Make the most of the artistic community you are in now because it can be hard to find such a community after you graduate.” Juliet and her husband currently reside in Highland Park, NJ.
Colleen Barry ’08 summarizes her experience at Houghton in these words: “I’ve taken with me many meaningful relationships and experiences. I definitely would not be the person I am now if I hadn’t attended Houghton.” Being the last in line of sisters who pursued degrees in art has offered Colleen the unique vantage point of observing the talents of her family and recognizing both the similarities and differences in their respective work. “My sisters and I love pattern, so you can see our interpretations of that in our work. Sarah likes to use brocade and damask cloths in her still life. Alice and I have pattern printed in our work and Juliet has very calligraphic lines in her work, similar to lines that Alice uses. I’ve done some paintings on stretched brocade and damask fabrics. It’s a web of influence. We have similar interests, but we have our own way of showing it,” she observed. Colleen is currently a substitute teacher and resides in Holley, NY.
While having a father and four daughters pursue art as their passion and life work may seem unique, to the Barry family it is quite simply—normal. Alice Barry Drew remarked, “Because having so many artists in our family is normal for us, it is stranger to think that there are many individuals who are the only artist in their family. Having a family of artists encourages each of us to keep being creative, to keep applying for exhibitions, and improving in our different media.” Sarah Barry Morgan agreed and added, “I know it’s unusual, but I don’t know anything else! It is such a blessing to have a family that both understands and supports what I do.”
The Ortlip Art Gallery is located in the Center for the Arts at Houghton College. Named for H. Willard and Aimee Ortlip and their family, some of whom were previous art faculty members, the gallery serves current students, faculty and visiting artists. The gallery is open Monday – Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
