A nationally recognized artist, Polly Barton was born in New York City. She studied Art History at Barnard College and has lived and traveled in Paris, Florence, Rome, India and Japan. 

While working as a personal assistant to Helen Frankenthaler, Polly was exposed to the challenges and rewards of the art world. These experiences infused Polly’s desire to be an artist and follow her dream of weaving.

In1981, she moved to Kameoka, Japan and lived in the religious heart of the Oomoto Foundation to study with master weaver, Tomohiko Inoue, as well as tea ceremony, calligraphy and Noh Drama with Oomoto’s master teachers.

Polly Barton continues to weave on her Japanese tsumugi silk kimono looms and shows her woven ikat paintings on both coasts. Her work is in many collections including the Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, The Community Hospital Foundation of Monte Rey, the Longhouse Reserve in New York. Her work has been published in numerous magazines including Hali Magazine, FiberArts, Surface Design Journal and American Craft. She is a member of the Textile Society of America, the Surface Design Association, the Textile Study Group of New York, and the Espanola Valley Fiber Arts Association.

Her current exploration in the studio involves work with thread imagery in graphite and pigment, and most recently stitching thread into pastel on paper. 

Barton enjoys lecturing and teaching workshops on ikat weaving and dyeing to guilds and conferences around the country.