Hi there! I’m Barbara Swanner and welcome to Painting with Barb. Through my step-by-step tutorials on this site, I’ll teach you how you can paint like a pro. You’ll also learn drawing techniques, watercolor, and some art theory as well. If you’ve ever wanted to paint a picture for a friend, family member, or loved one, but you weren’t sure were to start, these posts will help!
Me back in the 1970s
I’ve always loved art. I grew up in Baltimore, Maryland with a passion for exploring the world through visual media and eating Maryland-style steamed blue crabs. I spent my time as a young child mostly outdoors, building roads and cities in an old dry creek bed and making clothes for paper dolls. I always had to be doing something with my hands!
When I got older, I drew and took photographs, and designed batik clothing by painting with crayons on yards of muslin. I also won awards for painting the best-looking Halloween windows in town and was named Maryland’s Young Artist. But it wasn’t until my husband, daughter, and I moved to the Metro Detroit area, that I decided to pursue a career in art. I attended the College For Creative Studies and graduated a B.F.A. in drawing, painting, printmaking, and sculpting and a minor in ceramics.
Teaching has long been a passion of mine, and when we moved to Atlanta, I decided to combine the two. I’ve now been teaching for over 20 years. I’ve taught large and small art classes, and students from three years old to ninety. I love helping someone find their inner artist so they can tell their own story in their own way through art. And, I feel so much joy when I see someone’s wide-eyed wonder when they learn how to make colors, see that a tree is not a lollipop, and to paint what they do see.
I’d love to teach you how to see and translate what you see onto the page. Through my lessons and tutorials, my goal is to give you a good foundation, to get you to explore the process, and produce a painting or drawing you love.
Along the way, I’ll help you grow your talent, like I’ve done for my former students. Many have become working artists in their own right, from painters and sculptors to graphic designers and photographers. I am so happy and proud for each of them and I can’t wait to see what you create too!
My Work Has Been Featured At:
- Detroit Institute of Arts
- Center for Creative Studies
- Uzelac Gallery
- Temple Shir Tikvah
- Pinckneyville Art Center
- Art Place Gallery
- Clique Gallery
- Various private collections
I’m a Member of:
- National Art Educators Association
- Georgia Art Educators Association
- American Craft Council
- And a Founding Member of the Georgia Clay Council
