Rich in color, texture, and symbols, Barbara Gilhooly's work references a personal vocabulary of botanical forms, patterns, and invented abstractions. She has a multidisciplinary approach to her work which includes painting, drawing, wire sculpture, and mixed media in 2-D and 3-D formats.
Gilhooly is interested in systems related to both the complex nature of plant forms and finding connections with mechanical structures. In all of her pieces line is an important element that developed from her background as a printmaker.
Gilhooly attended the University of North Dakota and earned her BFA in art in 1986. Concentrating on printmaking and sculpture, she received her MFA from Colorado State University in 1989.
Gilhooly has work in numerous permanent collections including Children’s Hospital & Clinics, Minneapolis and St. Paul, Kaiser Permanente, Princeton University, Dept of International Affairs, Phoenix Children's Hospital and others. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally in Paris, China, Canada, and Cuba.