Barbara Grant
The ideas for most of my work come from within. Making art has been a continuing healer for me. I approach projects intuitively and use lots of symbolism, a sort of poetic way of working. It was in a creative but chaotic environment that I developed a strong need to make art.
One of my earliest memories is of begging my dad to draw with me. He taught me about cross-hatching and other handy tricks. I still have drawings that he made of our rocking chair and my mom’s watering can.
She would bring flowers in from her garden and arrange them artfully on the dining room table. I marvel that she found time to create these lovely displays with six children under foot. Our parents encouraged our experience with art, musical instruments, sewing, woodworking, athletics, and took us to concerts, museums and the library.
Today I’m equipped with a variety of tools of expression. They include painting, printmaking, assemblage, fiber arts and writing.
I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Northern Illinois University in 1989 with an emphasis in Drawing and Painting. I have continued to expand my artistry through further coursework at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and numerous area workshops.
I currently live near Milwaukee, Wisconsin.