Dr Barbara Rae CBE, RA, RSA, HRE, HRWS, RGI FRCA, FRSE, HFRIAS (b.1943) is a painter and printmaker whose acclaimed work is exhibited worldwide. Her landscapes are conveyed through her vivacious use of colour, composition and line. Barbara Rae supports the work of Art in Healthcare as a Patron of the charity.
Rae chooses to visit key places that provide her with first-hand insight into an area’s specific social history. Her studies range from an ancient standing stone in Scotland to black blasted vines terraced on a Spanish hillside. She travels the world in search of inspiration, working in her Edinburgh studio from studies created on location.
‘’It’s not just scenery that I’m drawn to, but the history of the landscape itself and the way in which it bears the marks of poverty and hardship. It’s very important to me that I’m conscious of the history when I’m creating my studies; how the people there shaped the land. This includes their houses, and where and how they grew their food – all the things they needed in and around them to survive.’’ Barbara Rae
Barbara is the recipient of numerous awards, scholarships, and honorary degrees; her work in national museums, public and private collections worldwide. Among Rae’s many awards are Major Scottish Arts Council Awards in 1975 and 1981, the Guthrie Medal from the Royal Scottish Academy in 1977, the Royal Scottish Academy Sir William Gillies Travel Award in 1983, the Calouste Gulbenkian Printmaking Award also in 1983 and the Hunting Group Prize in 1990.
