In her oil paintings, Tereza Barnard uses opulent ruffles, regal tiaras and sequins to seduce the viewer at first glance. At second glance, one discovers a narrative journey within the painting, informed by Barnard’s formal training in psychology. It’s a world of imagination mixed with satire and contemplation, asking the viewer to consider the journey which lead to a path of triumph and possible heartache and question the mother-child bonds of her models.

Each painting is constructed with tiny brushstrokes of vivid broken colour, forming realistic figures clad in opulent dresses painted by gestural brushstrokes bordering on abstract. With a sharp eye for the hidden emotions in her subjects, the paintings present a longing, triumph and growth and examine how beauty is constructed both by society, the mother-child relationship and the expectations we put on ourselves.

“An indulgent world of ruffles becomes cloying, your mind starts racing with what’s behind the facade, and that’s where it gets interesting for me.”

Tereza Barnard (b.1984) is an Oil Painter. She was born and raised in the Czech Republic and currently lives and works in Oxford, UK. Barnard is self-taught in painting, acquiring her knowledge through individual workshops with notable artists. She holds a Master’s degree in developmental psychology from University College London. Barnard has shown locally and internationally. Notable exhibitions include showcasing her beauty queen paintings at the LA Art Show with Arcadia Contemporary Gallery from NY in 2023 and Oxo Gallery London as part of the British Art Prize Finalists 23 Exhibition. Barnard’s work has been placed in collections all over the globe, including New Zealand and the United States. She has been a finalist of the ARC 15th and 16th Salon, ModPortrait, the Blue Review Art Prize and a semifinalist presented to the jury at the European Museum of Modern Art in Barcelona for Figurativas.

Her work has been featured in publications such as the Create! Magazine and Artists and Illustrators magazine.

For all enquiries, please direct emails to studio@terezabarnard.com