Barger has studied at Bennington College, Vermont, and she holds a B.F.A. from Cooper Union in New York. She was the 2012 Anne Reeves Artist in Residence and has been the recipient of the Pollock-Krasner Foundation Award (1999), a residency at the PS 122 Project Studio Space (1997-98),and the Faber Birren National Color Award (1998). Her work has been exhibited in solo and group shows in and around New York City including, Morpeth Contemporary Gallery, Cheryl Hazan Gallery, Broadway Windows, Saint John the Divine Cathedral, and Mercer County Community College.

Bargers newest body of work was completed at her studio along the Delaware River. Once again, Illia has immersed herself in the natural world, as her large, vigorously executed canvases intimately depict various flowering plants viewed at very close range. At second glance, the paintings divide into color fields, demonstrating her unerring sense of color-akin to perfect pitch. Yet, the subject and color of the paintings are vehicles, states Barger, always one to observe and convey the less obvious. She further observes that Nuance brings into focus subtlety. A marriage of the mystery of subject, subtlety and abstraction are formed through the colors and textures of petal surfaces as they dance in the light. The exhibition, entitled Nuance, defines the intention of these works, as  ... color and subject [being] vehicles for the more subtle language of nuance and sensuality.

Bargers work has been featured in many publications including The New York Times,The New York Times Magazine, The Jazz Times, Philadelphia Magazine, Princeton Magazine, New Jersey Life, Saveur, The Trentonian, The Trenton Times.

As well as her paintings, Barger has executed murals both private and public. Her most recent work (2012) is the mural Continuum measuring 25 ft. x 45 ft. which she executed in downtown Princeton and a mural for Capital Health Hospital in Hopewell NJ, Poppies (2011), which measures 11 ft. x 32 ft. Her largest mural, commissioned by the EDC, is in the Brooklyn Army Terminal, Brooklyn, NY (1993) and measures 35 ft. x 150 ft.

Education

1985            B.F.A   The Cooper Union School of Art, New York

1979-81     Bennington College, Vermont (full Scholarship)

Solo Exhibitions

2012          Nuance, Morpeth Gallery, Hopewell, NJ

2009          Nectar, Broadway Windows, New York City

2008          The Botany of Desire, Morpeth Gallery, Hopewell, NJ

2003          Organics, The Gallery, Mercer County Community College                                         

2003          Succulence, Broadway Windows, New York City                                                                       

2000          L’Origine du Monde, Riverrun Gallery, Lambertville, NJ

1999          Sacrament, The Cathedral of Saint John The Divine, NYC                                                                                                                                                                                              

1996          Recent Works, Grange Gallery, Frenchtown, NJ

Group exhibitions

2013         Ebb and Flow, Cheryl Hazan Gallery, NYC, NY

2013         Continuum, New Hope Arts, New Hope, Pa.

2010         Four Notable New Jersey Artists, Open Space Gallery, Frenchtown, NJ

2007         Dangerous Women #2, The Gallery, Mercer County Community College                  

2007         Group Show, Bucks Gallery of Fine Art, Newtown, Pa.

2006         The Red Show, Cheryl Hazan Gallery, NYC, NY

2006         The Flower Show, Cheryl Hazan Gallery, NYC, NY

2005         The Red Show, Cheryl Hazan Gallery, NYC, NY

1998         Absolute Secret, David McKee Gallery, NYC, NY

                P.S. 122 Annual Alumni Exhibition, P.S. 122 Gallery, NY

                New York Studio School Juried Art Exhibition,

                New York Studio School, David McKee, Juror

                The 1998 National Competition, First Street Gallery, NY

                Edward Thorpe, Juror

                East Village Artists, Cork Gallery, Avery

                Fischer Hall, Lincoln Center, NYC

                Faber Birren National Color Award Show, Stamford Art

                Association, Conn. Jane Adlin, Dept. of 20th Cent. Art,       

                Metropolitan Museum of Art, Juror

               International Jazz Art Competition, NYC, NY

1997       Juried Annual Exhibition,  New York Studio School, , NYC

1985       Recent Work, Houghton Gallery, Cooper Union, NYC

Public Murals

2012        Continuum, the Arts Council of Princeton , 25’ x 45’, Princeton, NJ

2011        Poppies, Capital Health Systems, 9’ x 32’, Hopewell, NJ

2010        Penn’s Grant, 8’ x 24’, Pineville Tavern, Pineville, Pa.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

2006        Winds of Change, 33’ x 65’, 23 South Warren St.,Trenton , NJ .

2001        Peaceable Kingdom, 40’ x 8’, Hamilton Grill Room, Lambertville, NJ                 

1993        Underwater Sea, 150’ x 35’, 1% for Arts, The Brooklyn Army Terminal,

                Brooklyn, NY commissioned  by the Economic Development Commission

1991        Degas’ Dancers, 25’x 11’, Hershey Hotel, Center City, Philadelphia, Pa.

                    Yeltsin’s Orchestra, 26’ x 11’, Hershey Hotel, Center City, Philadelphia, Pa.

1990         Titian Mural, 11’ x 10’, Lambertville, NJ

                    Peaceable Kingdom, 8’ x 40’ , Lambertville, NJ

Awards

2012          Anne Reeves Artist in Residence Award

1999          Pollock-Krasner Foundation Award

1998          Faber Birren Color Award

1997-98    P.S. 122 Project Studio

Television

2006        Channel 13 News, mini-documentary, Sept. 13th

                    Channel 6, Eyewitness News, July 10th, 11th

                    NJN, July 10th, 11th

                    NJ-12, July 10th, 11th 12^th

Radio

2006        Straight Talks, Interview with James Straight, July             

Publications

2012        Princeton Magazine, Nov. 1

                   Trenton Times, Oct. 26

                   Princeton Packet, April 24

                   Newsworks, May 3

                   US #1, June 20

2008        Oprah Home, September

                U.S.1, Capturing Nature’s Interior Design, October

                Bucks County Herald, November

2007        Nouveau Magazine, November

2006        Saveur, September

                New Jersey Life, September

                Trentonian, July 12

                The Times July 12

                Trenton Downtowner, September

2005        Nouveau Magazine, September

2002        The New York Times Magazine, April 14

2000        Veranda, Mar.- April

                   The Times, November                                                                                                                                                                                                                               1999        Jazz Times, May

1998        Culturati, October

Select Public Collections

Capital Health Systems, Hopewell, NJ

Princeton Hospital, Princeton, NJ

Greek Embassy, NYC

American Art Resources, Houston, TX.

Sun Corporation, Wilton, Conn.

Anthony Todd, NYC