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Welcome to my site. Please feel free to view my artwork by using the "Viewing Rooms" link located above.
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"The polar bear has been a consistent subject or main charater in my artwork since 1982. As the 'negative space' of its white form becomes the subject of each painting, I visit the center of my own experience. Through hundreds of pencil and watercolor autobiographical illustrations, I have become more able to identify a difference between my life and my live experience. The polar bear re-occurs symbolizing that which stays consistent within my ever-changing world: the joy underlying both happiness and life difficulties.
The bear archetype has presented itself as an inspiration to all cultures throughout history. By identifying polar bears as the primary character in my most personal language I realize the link to a larger story of humanity. Each painting becomes a visual narrative that finds common ground with the lives of others. Whether walking on the tundra, through my imagination or the sleeping dreams of other people, polar bears inform my life with a power that serves as a trustworthy guide. They playfully and lovingly bring me closer to wholeness."
Barbara's polar bear designs have been interpreted for use by the National Wildlfe Federation, Audubon Society, Sierra Club and the Los Angeles Zoo. She is honored to be included in a collection, by invitation of the White House, at the Smithsonian Institute and in that of the Empress of Japan in Tokyo, Japan. One woman shows include those for 15 consecutive years in Churchill, Manitoba, one at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo and several that accompanied George Winston's Colorado concert tours.
In June of 1977 Barbara was featured in an ABC special, "Arctic Terror," that explored her experiences in the North. That same month she returned from her third art show in Japan where she represented Hospice and shared accounts of her friends and acquaintances who have found the symbol of polar bears useful when grieving the loss of a loved one, facing a life-threatening illness and as an aid in pain management.
The Benjamin Franklin Award winning children's book, "In the Company of Bears," published in 1994 by Old Castle, was based on Barbara's illustrations. She is currently developing stories inspired by accounts of people's experiences with polar bears - particularly as they relate to healing.
Originally from Rockford, Illinois, Barbara moved to Colorado in 1971. A self taught artist, she has developed a unique style incorporating colored pencil with watercolor in her paintings. She has explored many media with her polar bear image, including fabric and Japanese kimono, porcelain sculpture, wooden furniture, seriagragh, lithograph and giclee prints.
You may visit her studio at 661 4th Avenue in downtown Longmont, Colorado by appointment. Watch for updates about Barbara's workshops and annual Art Dinner Party held at the studio.
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