Finding resilience through art

The recent Cottontown Art Crawl drew crowds eager to explore the work of Columbia’s local artists.

But one artist stood out for more than just the art he was selling.

Tim Barlow, a 67-year-old Columbia resident debuting his art, suffered a debilitating stroke in 2016. Painting has become a hallmark of his recovery.

“He started using art somewhat therapeutically,” said Beth Lawson, Cottontown Art Crawl event coordinator.

Barlow’s story isn’t only a testament to his resilience but also a reminder of how healing art can be.

Immediately after his stroke, Tim Barlow was paralyzed on his right side and given days to live.

The stroke left him with aphasia, a language disorder that impairs his ability to speak and, at times, understand language.

Barlow spent about four months in the hospital and was then transferred to a long-term assisted-living facility. Slowly but surely, he relearned how to communicate and use just the left side of his body.

Then in 2020, during the COVID pandemic, he wasn’t allowed visitors at his assisted-living facility.

His daughters, Grace Barlow and Joybelle Christmus, were shattered but knew they needed to find a silver lining.

Their mother suggested they find a hobby for their dad, perhaps painting.

Tim Barlow was musically inclined growing up – he never painted. But that didn’t discourage his daughters.

“We got him painting supplies, and so we started painting,” Grace Barlow said. “That was about almost five years ago.”

They saw painting as a form of therapy.

“When he started, he wouldn’t stop all day long,” Christmus said. “It became the thing that honestly helped him so much through COVID. And even now, it’s his favorite thing to do.”

“Art is always supposed to speak, and so even as his daughter, I can see how his paintings speak to me,” Grace Barlow said. “They give me so much hope. … It’s a testimony of how adversity can be a masterpiece.”

The art form he uses is “paint by numbers” – with acrylic paint in pre-numbered areas on canvases. He paints with his non-dominant hand.

Barlow puts his own spin on it by using a stroke technique that creates a unique texture with the acrylic paint.

“For my dad, this has become occupational therapy,” Grace said. “It literally has turned into something … almost like his career. …. And we’ve had so many people message us, telling us how much his work has inspired them.”

Five years and 100 paintings later, Tim Barlow’s passion, purpose and joy are being shared with the public.

His daughters even created an Instagram page to showcase his art. Pieces are available for $100 each and measure 16×20 inches.

The work reflects a variety of animals, cars and landscapes.

“The response has been amazing,” Grace Barlow said. “Columbia is an amazing community of people, and so we’re so thankful to that.”

His daughters say their father was overjoyed with the people stopping by his tent in Cottontown to chat and admire the work.

Each time someone approached, he lit up with excitement. He’d often ask his daughters to lend a hand, making sure every visitor felt welcome and taken care of.

“His art has the power to heal, and that is something we all need, especially when you go through rough times,” said festival-goer Hannah Fernandez.

Grace Barlow said his success as an artist shows tragedy doesn’t have to define someone’s life.

“Even if something unfortunate happens, you can turn it into something beautiful,” she said.