Artist Greg Barr with some of his artworks.
WILLETTON artist Greg Barr has raised more than $1000 for the Leukaemia Foundation by signing up for the World’s Greatest Shave on Thursday (March 17).
Barr, who has an intellectual disability, says he loves children and wants to help families with blood cancer by shaving his head for charity.
“I love little kids, I love big kids and big brats too,” he says.
“I raise the money for kids, and then raise the money for the parents, together.
“Get the whole lot done in one go. Shave it all off, bald.
“No hair, no nothing. I want to do it for raising money for the kids.”
Barr has already hit his $1000 target and hopes more money will stream in ahead of his ‘number one’ on Thursday.
The artist says he thinks he will look like his baldy mate “Steve” when his thick shock of hair is taken off.
An award-winning artist of Ballardong Noongar heritage, Barr works from a studio in the Bathers Beach Art Precinct in Fremantle.
Since 2009 he has held numerous solo and group exhibitions showcasing his vibrant, warm paintings with tactile brushstrokes and great depth of colour.
Recent exhibitions include Revealed: Emerging Aboriginal Artists from Western Australia at Fremantle Arts Centre, CounterpART at Goolugatup Heathcote and Deep Winter at PS Art Space.
His work is held in various collections including the Art Gallery of Western Australia, Shire of Dandaragan and City of Melville.
Before moving into his Freo studio with three other creatives in 2020, Barr had residencies at the J-Shed, David Giles Art Studio and the Fremantle Arts Centre.
Barr’s artist chum Susie Waller says he is very talented.
“His brushwork is joyous and flowing and his paintings, filled with texture and warm tones, have an honest and immediate intensity,” she says.
“Greg applies tactile layers of mediums and pen, creating a floating depth to his work that is enlivened through his overlaying of gestural marks.”
Waller says he is also very kind.
“Greg has a big heart, with a love for kids,” she says.
“Last year he mentioned he wanted to shave his head for the cancer kids
“All of Greg’s family and friends have been very supportive of his goal and have generously donated to his fundraising campaign for Australian families experiencing blood cancer.”
Barr will be live-streaming his big shave from his studio at 12pm, Thursday via his Facebook page facebook.com/gregbarrArtist/
To donate go to my.leukaemiafoundation.org.au/gregbarr
by STEPHEN POLLOCK