FARM PROJECTS
BARBARA E. COHEN - NOT PERFECT VII “Showing UP”
June 13 - June 29, 2026
Opening Reception - Saturday, June 13, 6-8pm
FARM PROJECTS
617 650 9800
Showing Up” is an obscure, almost magical journey I experienced during a blizzarding winter in Provincetown. Nestled in a tiny one-room apartment overlooking the bay, I worked at a small table, immersed in intimate work. It was hard to leave the water view. It nourished the images as they came to completion.
“Showing Up” brings together several series on oil-painted recycled sailcloth, linen, and wooden panels from many years ago. Built-up paint from past trials and experiments that never fully matured remains central to how I work. These pieces hold memories from different stages of my practice. There were many. My joy is in revealing old marks and imagery that quietly reappear, uncovering fragments from years of painting. This is my process. I am drawn to painting over old work.
“Showing Up” is about arriving from a place of unexpectedness. There are sudden splashes, quiet surprises, and moments that feel like small miracles. Some elements only emerge later, becoming more visible over time. Paint matters deeply to me, whether oil or gouache, as does the surface itself. My paintings are a doorway into my daily life. I have tried to stop, but I cannot live without it.
Barbara E. Cohen