Robert Ainsworth Barry (“Barry”), a native Rochesterian, expressed his creativity in one form or another throughout his life. He was born on March 16th, 1923. At the age of five, his mother left him at an orphanage, where he would spend his childhood and adolescence. As a young adult, Barry served in the Philippines as a typing clerk during WWII.  Later in life, he studied dance in New York City under Martha Graham, Jose Limón, and Katherine Dunham.  He attended Jacob’s Pillow in Lee, Massachusetts, and he also studied acting at the Dramatic Workshop in New York City. He was a photographer and author of the photo-essay: “A House Called Matthew.” Barry was also a graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology where he majored in Design and Illustration. Barry spent segments of his life at the Trappist Monastery in Kentucky.  He found special insights in the writings of the theologian, Thomas Merton.

Barry authored his works under the pseudonym “Barry Ra,” inspired by the Egyptian god of the sun. Barry practiced his art for over 45 years, and his work has been displayed in various cities, including Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, Milwaukee, Chicago, and Miami. Barry was an admirer of Erté, Beardsley and Dalí. His work has been described as marginal and stylized design and decoration. Barry had a photographic memory and a remarkable ability to capture the movement of animals in his artwork. He used simple lines to detail his subjects, which gave his art a unique simplicity and sophistication. The style of Barry’s portraits of men and women has been compared to that of Patrick Nagel, though his work preceded that of Nagel. In this sense, Barry’s art was very ahead of its time.

Barry was funny, social, and thoughtful. His mind was always exploring the relationship between nature, God, and the way human beings should treat animals and one another. These themes are represented heavily in his artwork. In his final years, Barry contributed a large sum of his money to St. Jude’s children’s hospital. Barry passed away on February 3rd, 2014, and he is buried at Mt. Hope cemetery in Rochester, NY.