Barbara grew up in a small farming community on the East side of the state. She moved to Grand Rapids in 1973 to attend Kendall School of Design. She has been here ever since.

In one discipline or another she has been involved with art her entire life. Barbara worked as a Restoration Artist and Conservator for over 35 Years. Now retired from Restoration she dedicates her time to her own art.

As an oil painter her work has been strongly influenced by the bold, impressionist art of Contemporary Russian painters. As a result, her own painting has become bolder and more expressionistic.

"Painting to me is about capturing the energy of a subject. I love strong textures, thick paint and vibrant colors.

I search to find a balance between the abstract and the representational. I love the tactile feel of pushing thick paint around and layering juxtaposing color notes. I have moved away from a more literal translation of my subject to a more emotional response."

Barbara is a signature member of Oil Painters of America (OPA), and American Impressionists Society (AIS).

She is represented by Frames Unlimited Galleries in Michigan and Ohio Mary Williams Fine Art in Boulder, Colorado Synchronicity Gallery in Glen Arbor, Michigan Eisele Fine Art Gallery in Cincinnati, Ohio Lovetts Gallery in Tulsa, Oklahoma

You can see more of her work on her website.