Coming off the high of last night, I recieved sad news that Barba-Del Campbell, probably Lehigh Valley’s biggest art enthusiast and even bigger in personality, humor, and wisdom, has passed away this morning.
I want to share with you a little about my relationship with her. I returned to the Valley in 2001 and had my first exhibition here in the beginning of 2002. Barba-del immediately dubbed me the “Valley’s Frida Khalo” which felt like to me an enormous title to be able fulfill. Before she knew my artwork, she would chat with me about anything under the sun anytime I was at the Allentown Art Museum Gift Store, where she volunteered for a number of years.
Barba-del could be seen in the Baum hallways as she had profound relationships with many of the instructors and staff there. Any event Baum had you could hear her hearty laugh and commanding presence. She was a force not to miss and who would want to? Every story she had was something you would imagine in novels- her life, incredibly colorful!
I asked Barba-del to be a part of “she her i: a portrait of women”- an installation I did in 2008. I think I already have expressed that this experience was had been incredibly poignant. Through these women, I felt I would have incredible lessons about my own security and identity. I truly wish that every person could have an experience like I had when I put that show together. Hopefully this little bit of insight, you too may feel the incredible impact that I am so fortunate to have had.
IF this is the first time you have read my blog, “she her i” was an installation where I interviewed 22 women in the Valley about components of their identity. When the 33 question written survey was completed, I then did a photoshoot with each of them. I’m going to share some of our coorespondance.
When I asked Barba-del to take part in the piece, I recieved a lovely card accepting my offer. She writes:
“I was an early feminist, and I tell everyone that I regret starting women’s lib (I never minded letting Gloria Steinem getting the credit) because it has failed. Females have opted to present themselves as sex objects during school, and working, and at the marriage altar. It never bothered me to model nude, but spare me the backless, and almost frontless, wedding gowns. The expense of them could be saved if women just presented themselves nude.
Well, I think you already know that I have opinions….”
As I photographed her, she elaborated on her survey and colorful life. She mentions her time in Manhattan- having dinner with Marlene Dietrich (an invitation extended by her daughter because she knew Barba-del and her mother would be kindred spirits and spent the evening comparing recipes and joking about the challenges of being a woman with a raspy voice). She was most proud of being mentioned in Lloyd L. Brown’s biography of The Young Paul Robeson- the African American actor to first do Shakespeare’s Othello, paving the way for Sidney Poiter. She was a model for many painters and in fact, still modeled for Baum classes these last few years. When I asked her about growing up and aging, she responded: “I feel catagorized rather than objectified. Old has become the dirty word Sex used to be. I’m regarded as a senior citizen before I am seen as a person. Funny, I never think of younger people as junior citizens.”
I have only known Barba-del during these last nine years since I returned here to the Lehigh Valley and I wish to have known her throughout her life. A few years ago, I remember hearing about her crooked apartment in an old mansion lined with books. She would thoughtfully cut articles out of the New York Times for my referenceand leave them at the Baum School desk for me. She attended some college but did not graduate however is probably one of the most well read people I have encountered. And when it came to defining herself in one word, she chose: “Questioning. I have a lifelong passion for knowing the why and the how of everything under the sun, and beyond it. The more one knows and understands, the more ease one finds within oneself.”
The second to last question on the survey was “Is there anything else you would like to be known about yourself?”
After filling out questions about race, family, gender, sexuality, and occupation, Barba-del answers; “The world is not here for me, I am here for the world.” Thank you, Barba-del. You were an incredible gift. May you rest in peace.
16 responses so far ↓
1 David Schad // Mar 6, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Good job, Heather. I knew barba-del here and there but mostly at WDIY functions. We talked virtually every time we saw one another. She was spiritually fragrant to all who buzzed around her.
Catch you on the Mansion Worlds, barba-del!
2 pete // Mar 6, 2010 at 10:05 pm
hey heather…I knew barba del was not doing great…what a nice post honoring her life…she lived and passed on her own terms…a true inspiration
3 heather // Mar 6, 2010 at 11:25 pm
Thank you for reading it! Barba-del is certainly a woman whom I will miss. I feel lucky she believed in what I do and the person I want to be. She is an inspiration, indeed!
4 heather // Mar 6, 2010 at 11:27 pm
Absolutely! She could talk extensively about any subject under the sun. She probably could have even made reading the phonebook entertaining!
5 Ann // Mar 8, 2010 at 7:28 am
Beautifully written about a beautiful woman. I miss her so much … but know that we all were immensely lucky to have her in our lives. There will never be another ‘You’, Barba-Del.
I hope to see you soon Heather …
xo
Ann
6 heather // Mar 8, 2010 at 9:29 am
She said you were the “BF’s sweetheart” and I couldn’t agree more!! I know you had a close relationship with her. Thank you for thinking my entry does her justice. I think she just had an effect on anyone she met.
Miss you, Ann. We should catch up soon, ok?
-h
7 Cherie Cincilla (daughter) // Mar 10, 2010 at 9:44 am
Upon hearing the news, my heart feels heavy ~ such a loss. I went to The School of Visual Arts in NY, have a BFA in Fine Art ~ but it wasn’t until I was 25 and met Barba-Del that she taught me how to truly color OUTSIDE the lines ~ not only in regard to creating art, but in creating my life. Thank you dear friend. You’re in my heart and soul forever.
~cherie jr.
8 heather // Mar 10, 2010 at 10:29 am
Cherie….. I am thrilled you thought to read my entry. Thank you.
9 Lynn Benedict // Mar 10, 2010 at 10:35 am
Heather,
Barba-del had told me about you and I loved reading your entry about her. She worked for my father in the Poconos in the 50s and I was lucky enough to have her for my babysitter when I was little…so you can say we go way back. What a hole has been left in my heart, not to mention all her friends and causes there in the Lehigh Valley.
Lynn
10 heather // Mar 10, 2010 at 10:46 am
I’m so touched that she would speak of me! Thank you for thinking to read this and comment. She seemed to have such a profound impact on a large web of people.
11 emily // Mar 10, 2010 at 11:44 am
i’m Lynn’s daughter. Barba-Del has literally been in my life, all of my life. I too am an artist and her words of support will be much missed. it is wonderful to read people remembering her exactly the way she would want to be remembered. thank you. emily
12 Cherie Cincilla (Mother) // Mar 10, 2010 at 4:43 pm
I sent Barba-del a birthday card in February and we shared the same birthday month. She wrote back and we exchanged what was going on in our lives. My daughters Cherie and Jacque and I met Barba-Del about 15 years ago at the Art Museum. We loved her in an instant and as you say she had such a wealth of knowledge and even more–a wealth of love. I am having a hard time believing she is gone and it has left me feeling empty and that I will I could talk with her one more time.
13 heather // Mar 11, 2010 at 9:52 pm
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading. I hope to meet you all at Barba-del’s memorial service.
Much love to you all!
14 Lynn Benedict // Mar 15, 2010 at 8:19 pm
Barba del shared her copy of your survey with me as well…grins. I live in WV and wish that I could be there for the memorial but its time for baby goats to arrive and I need to be here! Hope you all have wonderful memories to share.
15 Sue Schlack // Mar 23, 2010 at 11:35 am
Thank you for writing. I’m glad to learn more about her, and I was glad to see her handwriting again. Must read more, and do more art.
16 John Schmitt // Apr 26, 2010 at 11:34 am
I would appreciate someone getting in touch
with me. My name is John Schmitt. I was a long
time acquaintance and I would like to know a
little about what happened.
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