Marc Barker

Native Oklahoman Marc Barker uses caves in his art for their familiarity. Having begun caving in the '70s and coasted in and out of caving ever since, he still stays in contact with local cavers and uses caves like 'an old shoe.' They are familiar, yet they retain the challenge presented by light in natural darkness and he returns to them especially when starting a new medium.

A favorite medium is that of the monotype, which he has found to be an effective way to present his underground images. A monotype is a print process where each work is unique. Ink is applied in layers to a surface (a plate) creating an image. A wet piece of paper is set atop the plate and then both are "run" through a press. Even if two or more images are "pulled" from an original inking on plexiglass, each pull contains a different mix of colors -- with no two identical.

"Every time I start a new medium, I go back to caves and the unlit world," said Marc. "I am intrigued with the interplay of light in the realm of darkness. It is almost an irritant! Think about it: there is no easy way to 'explain' why that light is there. That "play of light" on the underground landscape is what captivates me. I have to choose a way to deal with it: either go totally abstract ... or present a source of light in explanation."

The resultant images are mostly abstract, yet representational. Not many of us really look at the breakdown we trudge around and scramble over as anything other than barriers to progress through the cave. Marc views the effect that light on rocks has to the overall ensemble of the underground environment -- and agonizes over its "capture". Early on, Marc used to say that he really wants to capture the cave in natural light ... short of a black canvas, he is still striving to present the subscape to a topsider ... and probably always will.

Return