About The Artist
Barbara Vance
I have always believed an artist paints from the soul hoping to capture the heart of the observer. Art has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. As a child, it was an obsession. My mother frequently reminds me of the times when I used the walls of my room when paper was not readily available. As a native Kansan I studied basic and commercial art at Wichita State University but I am primarily self- taught. Adult classes and workshops have helped refine my skills. Time spent living in several different states, including, Kansas, Texas, Colorado, Washington, California, and Oregon have influenced and broadened my art.
While raising my family, there was always time to teach art classes in my home. Teaching art to young people and adults had been very enriching for me. While in San Antonio, Texas, I taught art on public television as part of a continuing education program for a large community college. In addition to conducting the class I wrote the text material that was published in conjunction with the televised classes. My artistic ability really began to bloom when my husband and I moved to Oregon. Oregon’s natural beauty provides the ideal setting for artists, especially the gardens and flowers around the Portland area and in our new home in Lincoln, California. My flower garden is a great source of inspiration and subject matter.
My world is constantly viewed through an artistic eye as I constantly search for new material to paint. I am fascinated by the natural world in all forms and love to find the abstract patterns and textures in realistic subjects. My subject matter includes animals, flowers, landscape, and the human form. I am constantly learning and excited by the next great painting that awaits me. Currently, I am using watercolor, pastel pencils, and collage as my main mediums. One of these days I hope to get back to my oil paints and sculpting tools. Active involvement in local art groups provides motivation, encouragement, education, and an outlet for my paintings. My paintings have received numerous juried awards and are held in over three hundred private collections. They have been shown in numerous regional galleries and have appeared in the International Artist magazine. Examples of my work can be viewed at www.artsinwatercolor.com.
