Education and Training
Primarily self-taught, the basic fundamentals of painting with emphasis on watercolor and acrylic on canvas, were acquired through courses taken at the University of Arizona, Pima Community College, The Tucson Art Center School, and Imperial Valley Junior College, El Centro, CA. Have attended numerous workshops and demos including Jim Kosvanec, Arne Westerman, Dick Phillips, Tom Hill, Raliegh Kinney, Ted Nuttall and Dave Priddy.
Today Barry imparts that knowledge to his own students in Tucson. He is a signature member and past president of the Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild, and now teaches painting classes and workshops throughout the southwest and Mexico.
A frequent award winner, his work is part of many private and corporate collections, and has been represented in numerous juried and invitational exhibitions, including the Mountain Oyster Club Show, the Western Federation of Watercolor Societies Exhibition, Arizona Aqueous, and ready….set…D’Art 2006, at the Tucson Museum of Art. Barry recently won “Best of Show” for his painting “Sonora Raiding Party” in Fiesta Sonora 2007, held at the Ironwood Gallery of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.
Barry has won “Best of Show” for three straight years (2017, 2018, 2019) in the Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild Annual Show.
Archival Watercolors
Barry Sapp has devised a method of painting watercolors that does not necessitate glass or plastic in the framing process. “I treat the watercolor so that it is both UV-resistant and archival.” The painting is then mounted to a stretched canvas or canvas board and finished off with a frame just as you would an oil or acrylic painting.
AWARDS & HONORS
Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild Annual Show 2019, Best of Show
Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild Signature Show 2019, Best of Show
Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild Annual Show 2018, Best of Show
99th Baile de Las Flores benefiting St. Luke’s Home, 2018 Artist of the Year
Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild Annual Show 2017 Best of Show
Western Federation of Watercolor Societies 2017 awarded Signature Status
Acrylic Works 4, Northlight Books – Jurried acrylic painting “Nornthern Paiute” accepted and published, March 2016
Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild Signature Show 2016, Best In Show, and received People’s Choice Award
Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild Annual Show 2015, Award of Excellence
Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild Signature Show 2014, Award of Excellence
Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild Signature Show 2014, Award of Excellence
Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild Signature Show 2014, Award of Excellence
38th Annual National Western Art Exhibition & Sale San Dimas CA – 2014- Gold Medal Award, Watercolor/Acrylic
Inducted as an Honorary Artist member of the Mountain Oyster Club 2011
Arizona- Sonora Desert Museum Show 2008, Second Place
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Show 2007, Best of Show
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Show 2006, Second Place
Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild Annual Show 2004, Award of Excellence
Arizona Aqueous XV, Tubac, AZ 2000, Award of Excellence
24th Annual Western Federation of Watercolor Societies Show, San Diego, CA 1999, Juror’s Commendation
Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild Annual Show 1998, Award of Excellence
Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild Annual Show 1994, Award of Excellence
Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild Annual Show 1993, People’s Choice Award
Good Things In Small Frames ‘92, Ann Original Gallery, Third place watermedia