More Art from Featured Artist John Barhydt

Tunnel by John Barhydt

As a child, John was exposed to the world of film photography and the wet darkroom. “I was hooked on the magic I could create there” he reflects. John’s father taught him developing and printing technique while his grandfather supplied inspiration from stories told through his slide shows.  The advent of digital cameras added to his repertoire. The result one sees to this lifelong artist’s evolution is imagery using boldness of color and light that is designed to express the moment.

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Blog post by Gateway Gallery Artist Daniel Fishback.

Inteview with the Artist - John Barhydt

What is your “day job” if you have one?

I’ve spent the past 30 years in the Information Systems field, in roles ranging from computer programmer to management positions. Over the past couple of years I’ve developed a niche in the cost structure of large organizations. That’s my weekday job. Recently a couple of us decided that it would be fun to rehab an old winery in St. James, Missouri – so now I have a “weekend” job.

What draws you to the medium you use, and who are your greatest artistic influences?
The world is full of beauty and surprises. I enjoy seeing the details of the world around me, and then attempting to capture the grandeur in my camera. This trait probably goes back to my childhood when we would visit my Grandfather’s house and he would always have a tray of slides ready to show us. He would narrate a story about the places he had been and the people he had met. Capturing moments and places on film, and then telling stories using photography has always seemed normal to me. Over the years I’ve had several friends with a shared interest in photography from whom I’ve learned a lot. In terms of influence from the big names - Ansel Adams comes to mind as influencing my artistic outlook, not only for his spectacular landscape pictures, but for his ability to master the craft of the entire process from negative to print. His encouragement to master the technical aspects of the darkroom as part of the art process is inspiring to me.

What music do you listen to while creating?
Mostly I don’t listen to music while I’m shooting since most of my shooting takes place outdoors. When I’m creating the print in my office/studio, I’ll listen to a rather wide variety of music - how about a mix of Robin Trower, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Miles Davis, and Mozart?

Where is your studio and what is it like?
My office is in my home, and is equipped with a Mac G5, a Canon IPF5000 printer, EIZO monitor for color calibration, and various books, supplies and camera gear. OK..truth is that my studio is small and cluttered. Next question please.

What hobbies do you have?
I’ve been racing a vintage BMW for about 10 years, and have learned a bit about how to build, fix, and maintain racecars. Here is a bit of trivia: Gateway Gallery artist Ron Flier was my first high-speed driving school instructor. My wife and I enjoy traveling cross-country, either on a motorcycle or in a convertible. I’ve developed beer and wine making from a kit-based hobby to full-grain home brew and winery ownership, both of which are challenging but can have tasty outcomes. I enjoy building and construction, provided I have an expert on the job to keep me from messing up too badly. I also dabble in woodworking.

Why is art important?
Art reminds us that life isn’t as awful as some in the media would have us believe it is.


What is the best museum/ art gallery/ art exhibit you have ever been to?
The best one is probably the last one I visited – I enjoy nearly every museum/gallery I visit. The Smithsonian is a wonderful place to connect with the past. Similar, with a German flare, is the Deutsches Museum in Munich. San Francisco, New York, and Munich all sport excellent modern art museums, and I’ve never had a bad day at the St. Louis Art Museum. For the photographer, the Photo Antiquities Museum of Photographic History in Pittsburgh is a must-see.

Do you have pets? Tell about them.

My wife and I currently have three cats at home, and have been adopted by two barn cats at the winery. Two of our house cats are mutts from the shelter. The smallest one is a basket of energy that loves my art. No - actually he loves my printer. Whenever I start printing, he will run into the room, jump up on the printer and share in the print-creation process. The second cat squarely fits the definition of a lap cat that thinks he is part dog, always running to greet us when we come home from work. The third cat is the closest to an “official breed” bred cat that we have. We adopted him after a tragedy in his former people’s family. He reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously because he is obviously “cooler” than we can ever hope to be.

Meeting of Minds 4 - Catherine Honse and John Barhydt

Cate has adorned the art piece with one of her hand made ceramic leaves.

John has incorporated a few of his fine art photographs collaged onto the piece.

These newest additions to this work of art are a prime example of two artists working outside of their comfort zone in an effort to contribute to our group project. This is what makes the Gateway artists so special. We understand the value in trying new things and working together.