When I first picked up Visual Music & Poetry by Barry John Raybould, I didn’t expect it to be very different from other art books. It turns out it’s one I keep coming back to—not because it tells me what to do, but because it helps me think more clearly about why I’m doing it. It feels at home alongside texts on aesthetic philosophy, university-level art instruction, and the classic writings of practicing master artists.
Yes, the book covers fundamentals, but that’s not what stayed with me. What stood out was Barry’s focus on the why behind composition and art principles. He uses examples from his own oil paintings to show how choices in color, shape, and movement affect the viewer. Reading it made me slow down and question my own decisions in the studio instead of working on autopilot.
As I read, I kept returning to familiar questions: Why am I painting? What am I trying to communicate? Do I really understand how my choices land with someone else? Barry’s exploration of the science behind how we see—how certain techniques create specific responses—gave me a clearer way to think through those questions without turning art into a formula.
One thing I especially appreciated is that the book doesn’t try to hand you a style. Instead, it encourages you to understand your own reasons for creating and to pair that with an awareness of how visual language works. Over time, that combination naturally leads to a more personal and honest voice.
I first encountered Barry through the Virtual Art Academy and thought of him as an accomplished artist and teacher. After working through his spiral learning program and spending time with this book, I now see him more as a guide—someone helping artists tune their own instruments rather than play the same tune.
This isn’t a book that sits untouched on my shelf. It stays open on my studio table, often with paint nearby, as I think about how to move something from my head and heart onto the canvas. For me, Visual Music & Poetry has become less of a reference book and more of a quiet studio companion.
Theresa Jean Hall
Student Apprentice—Virtual Art Academy
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