Born in Little Dungmore-under-Motorway, just outside Wedlock, Barry's story has everything – drama, pathos, apathy and abject failure. However, at school, his mind was always active, as he showed when he failed his exams in May to avoid the end of term rush.
But Barry was a very enthusiastic rugby player and was watched on several occasions by the England selectors and a number of times by Special Branch. In fact, such was his enthusiasm that one of his tackles registered 6.5 on the Richter Scale and his following match was disrupted by the League against Cruel Sports.
Chastened by this experience, he embarked on a career as a male model and soon he appeared in adverts all over the London Underground. Unfortunately, this didn't last as his images were ruined when stickers began to appear stating ‘This man degrades the status of men in society'.
Several meaningless jobs followed. A free-lance x-ray technician in the ear-piercing department of Black and Decker, a wringer-out for a one-armed window cleaner and a prison visitor (often for six months at a time).
It was then that Barry's life changed dramatically. He joined Tadworth Art Group, originally as an afterthought, although it is still a position he occupies today.
Barry's hobbies include nailing jelly to the ceiling, nude barbed-wire hurdling and free-fall yoga.
Oh yes, and he paints a bit!