Barbara Applegate was born in 1954 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.Applegate’s earliest fine art memories include visits to the studios of the many artists living and painting along the Delaware River between Center Bridge and New Hope. Influenced by the Buck’s County painters Daniel Garber, Edward W. Redfield and Walter Schofield, Applegate spent her early years painting the villages and countryside along the Delaware River.
After graduating from Dickinson College, Applegate relocated to the Brandywine Valley and immersed herself in the rich tradition of realism made famous by Howard Pyle and the Wyeths. Working in watercolor, egg tempera and oil, Applegate spent the next decade painting the quiet rolling landscape and the beautiful 18th century Quaker homesteads. By the mid 1990 the suburban sprawl surrounding Philadelphia had nearly obliterated the serene Pennsylvania landscape. Looking for new inspiration, Applegate spent several summers in rural Maine. She was drawn to the quiet villages with their wood-frame houses and kitchen gardens.
In 1996, Applegate permanently relocated to Penobscot Bay and now maintains her studio/gallery in the beautiful village of Bristol Mills on the Pemaquid Peninsula.
Applegate has received numerous awards for her watercolor and oil paintings--including awards for merit from the National Arts Club, NYC; Knickerbocker Artists, NYC; Salmagundi Club, NYC; Philadelphia Watercolor Club, San Diego Watercolor Club and the Gold Medal from the American Artist Professional League, NYC. A partial list of public and corporate collections includes: Colby College, Dickinson College, Oberlin College, University of Pennsylvania, Williams College, MBNA America, Proctor and Gamble Company, Viceroy and Mank, Ltd., and Aztec Printing.
Barbara Applegate is represented by the Bayview Galleries, Camden and Brunswick, ME; and the Highlands Art Gallery, Chester, NJ; J Todd Galleries, Wellsley, MA; and the S R Brennan Galleries, CA.
Over the past 20 years, Applegate's work has been featured in numerous publications including:American Art Collector, American Artists, American Art Review, Arts and Antiques, Down East and Yankee. The New York Graphic Society has published ten prints of Applegate's paintings. In 2005, ABC's national news program "Primetime Live" aired an interview with the artist. In the spring of 2007 People Magazine published an interview with Applegate at her home in Maine. American Art Collector Magazine published an article about Applegate in the May issue 2009.
Selected Exhibitions and Awards
2010Oil Painters of America Eastern Regional Juried Exhibition 2010“Emerging Artists”S.R. Brennan Galleries, Scottsdale, AZ, Palm Desert, CA 2009Oil Painters of AmericaEastern Region Juried Exhibition 2009“Her Mark”Bayview Gallery, Brunswick, Maine 2009“Paint America Top 100 Artists” 2009“Two Women, Gardens”Highlands Art Gallery, Chester, NJ 2008“New England Views”Manchester Fine Art Gallery, Manchester Center, VT 2008“Summer in Camden” Bayview Gallery, Maine 2007 “New England Landscape”Gallery-on-the-Green, Woodstock, VT 2007 “Summer in New England” Manchester Fine Art Gallery, Manchester Center, VT 2006 “Still-Life and Gardens” Gallery-on-the-Green, Woodstock, Vermont 2006 “The Flower Show” Bayview Gallery, Brunswick, Maine 2005 “Rooms with a View” Bayview Gallery, Camden, Maine 2004 “Emerging Artists” Weatherburn Gallery, Naples, Florida 2004 “Promise of Summer” Bayview Gallery, Brunswick, Maine 2003 “Quiet Moments” Portnoy Gallery, Carmel, California 2003 “Painting Monhegan” Bayview Gallery, Camden, Maine 2002 “Winter Solstice” Portnoy Gallery, Carmel, California 2000 “The Working Waterfront” Bayview Gallery, Camden, Maine 1998Salmagundi Club Juried Non Members Exhibition, New York 1997Knickerbocker Artists 47th Annual Juried Exhibition, New York 1996Knickerbocker Artists 46th Annual Juried Exhibition, New York 1995Salmagundi Club Juried Non Members Exhibition, New York 1994Bixler Gallery, Allentown, Pennsylvania 1994Philadelphia Watercolor Club 75th Annual Juried Exhibition, Philadelphia 1993Knickerbocker Artists 43rd Annual Juried Exhibition, New York 1992Solo Show, Lederach Gallery, Lederach, Pennsylvania 1992Winsor-Newton AwardPhiladelphia Watercolor Club 73rd Annual 1991Solo Show, Newman Galleries, Philadelphia 1991Award for Excellence,Philadelphia Watercolor Club 72nd Annual 1990Knickerbocker Artists 40th Annual Juried Exhibition, New York 1989“Four Seasons, Brandywine Valley” Newman Galleries, Philadelphia 1989 W. Emerton Heitland Award,Philadelphia Watercolor Club 70th Annual 1987“The Pennsylvania Landscape” Newman Galleries, Philadelphia 1987Award for Excellence, Philadelphia Watercolor Club 68th Annual Juried 1986Gold Medal of Honor, American Artist Professional League, New York 1985Solo Show, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, Pennsylvania 1985Award for ExcellenceAmerican Artist Professional League Grand National,NY 1984Marshall Howe Award, Knickerbocker Artist Juried Exhibition, New York
Text and images copyright 2012 Barbara Applegate. All rights reserved.