Today we’d like to introduce you to Angie Barr.
Angie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve always had a passion for creation of all kinds: tactile exploration, making art and music, and storytelling. This drive has been expressed in a variety of ways over time, and ultimately become a way of life. My creative education has been built over many years through the process of self discovery, experimentation, working with mentors like my mother, and traditional study. I have a BFA in Intermedia (conceptual art explored through multimedia and installation), and I’ve studied painting, drawing, textiles, photography, and music extensively. In 2022 I received my Masters in Art Education, and spent two years teaching elementary art in Kalamazoo, where I was infinitely inspired by my students’ bold and surprising choices and tenacity. In 2025 I made the hard choice to step away from teaching to make more space in my life for creating my own work and to honor the needs of my nervous system.
For the past year I’ve been working part time at a doggie daycare (shoutout to Camp Fido!) and spending the rest of my “work” hours building my whimsical art business, Moongate Art. In many ways this project is a perfect joining of my love of process and the aesthetic I’ve been developing over the course of my life. To me, Moongates represent portals; Windows into other dimensions, hidden worlds, and ourselves. I aim for all of my creations to evoke a sense of wonder and quiet awe for that which often goes unseen. Part of my practice lately has been in SLOWING DOWN and really embodying the process. As someone who practices energy work and spends a lot of time in the creation of music as well, tapping into the flow state and sinking with the rhythm of the universe before putting paint to paper or hand to clay not only makes the process enjoyable, but is also visible in the final product.
My business has been a slow growing work of love and is ever evolving. It started as a way to make it financially possible to sustain spending as much time as possible making art and is growing into an entity of its own. I follow my instincts and interest when it comes to materials. Lately I have been deep into playing with clay and exploring ceramics (so many ups and downs!) but I also sell textile work, watercolor paintings, hand-dipped naturally dyed beeswax candles, and works made from foraged material. I am a compulsive dabbler and love collaborating and letting chance encounters and synchronicity guide my practice. I find so much inspiration in seeing other people, both loved ones and in the community, approaching their lives with brave curiosity. I’d love to hear from anyone in the community that has a similar approach to their passions and is interested in working together to manifest something new! I’m also currently working to sell my wares in more shops and markets.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The making and ideating part of my work has always come naturally to me but the process of publicizing and monetizing it definitely has its challenges. Art making requires so much time and skill-building, as well as the energy and mental space to find your authentic voice and practice channeling it. I’ve found as I grow that I have a stronger and stronger idea of what situations lend themselves well to me accessing my creativity and what situations might be too overstimulating or emotionally draining to be sustainable long-term alongside a thriving creative practice (one of the reasons I left teaching). Everyone is different and so are the things that light us up or drain our energy. I’ve had a long process of trial and error to build the life I have now. This is the closest I’ve ever gotten to a sustainable regular long term art practice. Like many artists I’ve encountered questions and concerns from people in my life about the idea of being a working artist/ having a less traditional career. I live paycheck to paycheck and have times when things don’t work out. I recently had the kiln I invested a substantial amount of time and money in misfire while prepping for a last minute event. Things like that will ALWAYS happen, so I just try to stay curious and approach challenges one moment at a time.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an interdisciplinary artist, making and selling work under the name Moongate Art. The idea of the Moongate came to me when I was doing a lot of intuitive watercolor painting. I kept finding myself drawn to creating glowing circular forms that felt like portals. I’m always adding to the lore of my work, but these gates have become a fascination for me, and I like to think of each of my works of art as being created within the reality of a different portal/gate.
My work is whimsical and heavily inspired by the hidden magic of the natural world. I leave room in my practice for small batches of specific experiments/products, as well as some staples, so my wares are always changing. Lately I have been making a lot of ceramic candle holder, worry stones, and “Moongate Guardians” (little clay creatures). I also hand dip and naturally dye beeswax taper candles made from 100% local SW Michigan beeswax, and create a variety of functional and decorative textile work. I have experience in a lot of different mediums so I like to explore interesting combinations of them.
Lately I’d say I’m most proud of/excited by the cohesion of the aesthetic I’m building with this business, while also being able to have diverse offerings.
I primarily sell at small shops and markets, but would love to expand to selling online and at other venues, as well as offering commissions or collaborating with those interested!
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I believe that curiosity is at the root of all great communication, and art is a very specific language of communication. The idea of trusting the process is also something I return to in moments of frustration or when I hit a Y in the road and have to make tough decisions. Our paths are continually unfolding before us and that involves a great deal of acceptance. I try to embody The Fool in the tarot deck as often as possible and cultivate a beginners mind, which I think leads me to make artistic decisions that are both considered and authentic to my own vision.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moongate_art/
- Other: https://spectralsnake.bandcamp.com/ and https://matryoshkaghost.bandcamp.com/album/cosmic-laugh
