This month at Bigfoot Creative, one of our featured artists is local painter Barry Magnin. Barry has been involved with art all his life: he started drawing sharks, then the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and now his preferred subject is the legendary Bigfoot. Barry is married to the lovely Theresa, who is his anchor.

Barry’s artistic style is vibrant and eye-catching with defined black outlines that call to mind comic book imagery.

“I always like doing the black outlines, all I do is lay it all out and go over it with the black outline at the end, you know? I like that style. Bold black outlines. I used to tattoo back in the day, and the black pops off the canvas just the way it pops off the skin. Not into shading,” Barry laughs.

The artist, who cites Salvador Dali and Vincent Van Gogh as his major inspirations, doesn’t care for realism in art.

“[My art] is bold, and surreal…I don’t like normal things,” he laughs. “Do other stuff. Do other crazy ideas out there, do make-believe. But he’s real. Bigfoot, that is,” he says conspiratorially.

Barry likes to begin all his paintings the same way: by starting with the eyes.

“I start out with the eyes. I always focus on eyes. And I only use one paintbrush, by the way. Bright colors, neons. Nothing dull. You gotta be lively,” he says, grinning.

When asked what his favorite medium is, the artist immediately responds.

“I love acrylic,” he answers instantly. “I always buy primary colors and mix ‘em like that, except for some pink my wife bought once. Acrylic and one fat brush, that’s all I do.”

Barry’s words of advice come from his father.

“Pull your pants up,” he says. “You gotta grow up sometime!”

Barry’s art will be displayed in our storefront for the month of February. Come by and check it out!