Today we’d like to introduce you to Barbara Roth.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I was the kid in the back of the classroom drawing when the teacher wasn’t looking. I had very little art training until I started college. After college, I decided I wanted to be a children’s book illustrator and took classes at all the art schools in Los Angeles as well as getting a teaching credential in Art Education. After finding out, I disliked teaching middle schoolers art because I wasn’t good at classroom discipline, I switched to teaching adult school and worked on my art at night.
When my first child was born, I took a watercolor class at a community college in Sacramento that changed my life. After that class, I turned into a non stop watercolor painter. At that point, I focused on writing and illustrating children’s picture books that featured whimsical animals getting in and out of problematic situations.
I began teaching travel watercolor painting in Italy about 15 years ago and moved out of painting, tap dancing animals and writing picture books and into teaching journal watercolor painting and teaching workshops in Europe (I’ve taught 30 workshops so far in Iltay, France, England and Scotland). Now, my artwork is a combination of architecture, landscapes, old buildings, doors, windows, terra cotta urns, gardens and more.
I was fortunate to have my writing dreams come true when I was asked to write and illustrate a book for Walter Foster last year called Anywhere, Anytime Painting: Watercolor. I currently teach around San Diego, as well as workshops in Europe and Canada and my book is available on Amazon and in bookstores.
Please tell us about your art.
I paint a lot in 6″x9″ journals, I enjoy recording what I see around me. I paint in restaurants, on trains, parks, at the beach and once on the top of a mountain. The paintings are never perfect and sometimes, I feel like making these paintings is almost a method of meditation because I loose track of time and relax while I am concentrating on painting what I see. I love to teach my painting method to students because I love seeing the joy they get from learning to see and paint and dropping their need to make perfect paintings.
I paint a lot in my studio at home and in other rooms in the house. In my studio, I paint compositions made up from looking at photographs and from my imagination. Out of my studio, I paint my 3 dogs, my husband sleeping and the views out the windows of our house.
I often hear people comment that my paintings have a happy feeling. I am not sure that I communicate a direct message in my paintings. I think the viewer creates the message or inspiration from his response to what he sees in a painting. I would like people to know that painting and drawing are learnable skills that can help open up your eyes and appreciate what you see around you.
We often hear from artists that being an artist can be lonely. Any advice for those looking to connect with other artists?
The easiest way to not be a lonely artist is to take an art class. Artists generally, are friendly and enjoy meeting like minded people. Plus, you can always learn something new if you get out of your house and go to an art class.
Another good way to ward off loneliness is to join an Urban Sketchers group and go out sketching with other people. You can be a beginner and still go out and do some sketching and have a good time.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
People can see my work on my website and blog www.barbararothanywhereart.com or on my Instagram account, anywhereart4u. If people are interested in purchasing a painting or seeing more of my journal artwork and paintings, they can email me to arrange to do so at anywhereart4u@gmail.com.
I see some of my paintings on keychains, luggage tags and more at Zazzle.com where my shop is called anywhereart.
People can support my work by purchasing it, commissioning a painting, taking a class, buying my book, displaying my work or telling their friends about my artwork. I am also available to speak to groups about travel, painting, etc.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.barbararothanywhereart.com
- Email: anywhereart4u@gmail.com
- Instagram: anywhereart4u
Image Credit:
Barbara Roth
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