Introducing artist Barbara LT

Barbara LT is a London based artist who specialises in painting predominantly circus artists. Barbara is currently a resident artist at Koppel Studios. After numerous canvases of landscapes and countless still life drawings her world changed when she walked into the Black Cat Cabaret on London’s Southbank.

Instantly mesmerised by the cyr wheel act she wanted to capture the performers’ magic on canvas and paper. Barbara now spends most of her days focusing on painting movement, the character, “the feel” of her favourite circus artists from around the world.

Here we chat with Barbara about her artistic journey and unique signature style in more detail..

Can you tell us your backstory and how you got into the art world?

I joined the art world a little later in life after deciding to leave the broadcast world. Art has always been in my world, but it took me a while to gather the courage to join it with my work.

What really gave me wings to fly was the support from the circus community when I started painting acrobats. I remember walking on London’s South bank and I came across this poster that said Black Cat Cabaret. I have never been to a cabaret show before and it felt like the only right thing to do that evening was to walk in.

Before that day I was painting mostly landscapes. And that evening everything changed. I walked into a tent full of the most amazing circus artists. I wanted to stay and they seemed happy to have me.

There is a lot to learn from acrobats that is needed in the art world like resilience, persistence, the quiet time you need to research and develop and the confidence once your work is ready to be shown.

How would you describe your signature style and technique?

I am a painter of movement, mostly the movement of circus artist, sometimes dancers. It is not the perfection of their movement that moves me, it’s that moment when the protection of perfection goes away, when we can see them. When they are human, but exceptional.

I think my work brings the opposite of danger that most minds associate with acrobatics. It speaks of the incredible level of certainty these artists bring to their dangerous movement, the freedom their high levels skills give them to be able to convey tranquility or playfulness, control the impossible, peace in a moment of drama.

When my fellow artists walk into my studio they often say they feel serenity and softness coming from the canvases.

Can you tell us about your latest work? Where did you find inspiration and what is the story behind it?

The latest collection I painted was for my first solo show Afterimage in December 2024. It was an invitation into exploration of incredible, of magic, of flying, of feet in the air, of connection, balance, of pure joy of human existence.

Some works in this particular collection have moved almost to the edge of abstraction of the figures. It was a little game I played on these big canvases – what is the limit of the brush marks I can get away with for the artist and the movement to still be recognisable.

Are there any exhibitions or events you are planning?

2024 was quite a big year for me with my first solo exhibition at the end of it. So at the moment I am in that sweet research and development stage for my next collection. I am staying wrapped in the same soft palette but keen to take the shapes a little bit further into abstraction.

I also might secretly be plotting my next solo show.

What is the best advice you received as an artist?

It came from an artist friend Jean-Francois who works in his “man art cave”, as he calls his studio in the middle of Swiss Alps. “Keep the road,” he said. “No matter what else is going on, you keep going, following your road.”

Follow Barbara on Instagram @artbarbaralt

Photo credit – artist in the studio: Golriz Photography

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