I am Kay Dawn Barton, a fine artist born in 1980 in Oldham and currently based in Fleetwood. My practice centers on portrait and figurative art, with a focus on creating emotional resonance between the viewer and the subject. Working across a diverse range of media—including charcoal, soft pastels, acrylics, installations, screen printing, digital, and collage—I am best known for my evocative charcoal and pastel portraits.

My work explores the subtle interplay between medium and emotion, using expressive marks and contrasting textures to convey the aura of the sitter. I strive to capture not just a likeness, but the fleeting expressions that hint at a subject’s inner world—their thoughts, emotions, and presence in a specific moment. This pursuit is at the heart of my ongoing series, Behind the Eyes, which invites viewers to connect with the emotional depth and humanity of each portrait.

In 2024, I presented solo exhibitions Open Studio and Soul Therapy at Blackpool School of Art, and contributed to the collaborative set design for Pomona Performance at Old Electric Theatre. These experiences reflect my commitment to both personal expression and collaborative creativity.

Through my art, I aim to create a space where viewers can pause, reflect, and feel a sense of shared humanity—one gaze at a time.