BIOGRAPHY

Born and bred in the North East Barrie was brought up in Murton Colliery and has lived the last 30 years in Sunderland. Barrie has always had a creative flair working as a hairstylist before moving on to work with leading hair brands. A talented cook, he won a place in the BBC Master Chef Final in 1997 and went on to work in the Savoy hotel London. This led to him taking the brave step to open his own high end catering company and bistro ‘Prickly Pear’ in his hometown and he became a regular columnist for the local press. Barrie discovered a new passion during lockdown when he started painting as an outlet for his creativity. His loose relaxed original abstract work with acrylic paint is full of emotion and drama, using metal leaf gilding which gives paintings a 3D feeling and, in his words, adds a little ‘bling.

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Please reach out to Barrie if you are looking for a special commission, a special gift for a milestone celebration, or a painting for your home. Barrie is also known for hiding birthdates and special names within his paintings, making the paintings bespoke and individual.

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