Artportal.hu

(16. May 1977., Budapest –)

Barbara Illés-Bódi was born in Budapest  into a musician family with four children. In 1995 she graduated  from art school as a porcelain painter, then in 2002, she received  a degree at the department of drawing and visual communication  at Eszterházy Károly Teacher Training College. During her studies,  she received a scholarship from Romaversitas Foundation, then  from 1997 to 1999 from the Hungarian Parliament. She obtained  professional training as an interior decorator at József Baska’s and  Katalin Rényi’s private institution of applied arts. In 1998 she started attending István Szentandrássy’s courses. In 1999 she got married and started a family. She lived in Toronto until 2001 with her husband, the artist Henrik Illés. There she enrolled the Academy of Arts University and studied fine arts. She has been teaching drawing, visual culture and history of culture at the Kalyi Jag Roma Ethnic Vocational and Technical School since 2003.

Apart from being an educator she was also working hard at earning her masters degree as a teacher of religious education at Apor Vilmos Catholic College. She started participating in roma art workshops and their group exhibitions in 1995. Her pieces of work were exhibited at the BM Duna Palace, in Orczy-garden, at Katona József, Ruttkai Éva and at Thália Theatres. She had an exhibition together with István Szentandrássy at Kossuth Club, at Józsefváros Cultural Centre and also at the function for art and culture of the FCÖ (Budapest Gypsy Minority Government) in the town of Szentendre. Her art is devoted to the perfection and beauty of mother nature and the profound humbleness she feels towards her. For her, creative work and painting mean the oasis which is absent from everyday life.