Utah County Journal, September 15, 1999

Artist's colors on exhibit at Springville Museum

The public is invited to Barbara A. Lyman's art exhibit at the Springville Museum of Art. Lyman's work has been shown in national, state and regional shows.

By Laurie Williams Sowby
JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS

PROVO — Barbara A. Lyman loves color.

"The brighter and more jewellike, the better," she says. "When I explore harmonies and contrasts, I search for just the perfect element to solve the color puzzle in a composition. It is so exciting when seemingly impossible solutions are found."

The public is invited to see the results of some of those color puzzles and solutions in a one-woman exhibit of Lyman's works during September at the Springville Museum of Art.

A native of Washington, D.C., Lyman is a senior earning her bachelor of fine arts degree in painting at Brigham Young University.

Although a student, the 46-year-old artist is not new to the art world. She's painted since she was a child and studied at BYU years ago, but only pursued it on the side while raising her son and working many years as a secretary.

Since her return to BYU two years ago, Lyman's work has been shown in national, state and regional shows, including the Springville Museum of Art's recent Spring Salon, the Kimball Arts Center in Park City, the Central Arts Collective in Tucson, Ariz., the St. George Museum of Art and the Eccles Community Art Center in Ogden.

As a BYU student, Lyman won first place in the fine arts division of the 1998 Vera Hinckley Mayhew Awards and also was awarded the Olena K. Stewart Scholarship and the Paul Boshard Scholarship, among other talent awards.

A year ago, although it was not a requirement, she had a solo show at BYU. She will also participate in a group show entitled "A Unique Vision," at BYU Nov. 2–14.

Landscapes and still lifes are common subjects for Lyman, who enjoys adding her own imagination and creativity to scenes and objects in the natural world.

"I find myself painting in both an intuitive and analytical way," she says. And she's looking forward to painting in the studio of her new home when the family moves to American Fork next month.

"My purpose as an artist," Lyman says, "is to translate my inner emotions, my thoughts and visions into actual images for myself and others to observe and understand. The most important words in my personal art language are color and form. I especially love clear, bright colors and fluid organic shapes, and feel that these most express my inner self."

Lyman's works—mostly in oils and mixed media—are displayed in the Works on Paper gallery on the museum's second floor. The Springville Museum of Art, at 126 E. 400 South, is open from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesdays–Saturdays, until 9 p.m. Wednesdays, and 3–6 p.m. Sundays. It's closed Mondays. Admission is free.

Lyman is represented by Repartee Gallery, 4100 N. University Ave. (Riverwoods). Those interested may also see her work on the Web, on a site designed by her 23-year-old son, Eric. Look for it at: www.blessed1054.com/b-lyman