The Artists

DB, "Road to Bethesda," 62 in x 125 in, acrylic on canvas.

Daniel Barkley: "Road to Bethesda" is a a multi-figure painting adaptation of the blind, insane, and crippled on a hopeful journey to be cured by Jesus while performing miracles on the mount. Barkley's paintings are, at their core, secularly-interpreted re-workings of biblical and mythological stories. Barkley avoids connections to particular faiths, although spirituality, mysticism and the supernatural are important elements of his work. Throughout the history of art, artists have reworked the context of myths, legends and biblical narratives to reflect their own eras and their individual concerns. Barkley, who resides in his homeland of Canada, intends to continue his exploration of these allegories, with the goal of understanding and portraying the emotional essences of the dramas. Barkely's biblical subjects provide a structure on which to build a representation of contemporary and personal experience.