Barbara's love for art, light and color began when she was a child. Her heartfelt desire to express this love was subsequently nurtured and developed by her artistic training by many masterful artists. The most influential teachers came from her studies at the University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC), the renown artist Miguell Arguello of Spain, and Jennifer Carrington of England who introduced Barbara to the Classical Realism style of art.
After being brought up as a child around the original paintings of Picasso, Matisse and Braque through her Mother who was an avid art collector, Barbara eventually fell in love with "Realistic Art" in college.
After receiving her BFA Degree at UCSC, she studied at the art schools of London England and attended City and Guilds of London Art School where she earned her Printmaking Certificate. There she also studied with Jennifer Carrington who had been her art instructor back at UCSC. Through a vivid correspondence from California to Wales, a true relationship between the artists had developed.
In England Barbara attended workshops with the Royal Society of Portraitures and met a master artist who had apprenticed with Maestro Annigoni of Firenze. Finally she followed his advice and sought out Maestro Anningoni and Madame Simi Schools herself in Florence, Italy.
She was deeply inspired and guided in the arts by the great "Maestro Pietro Annigoni" who was considered by many to be the greatest living artist at the time. Barbara was often invited into his studio, where he critiqued her artwork. Barbara and the Maestro developed a long-lasting friendship.
After her training in Europe, Barbara then moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she pursued more classical realism studies with the colleagues of Atelier Lack, founded by Richard Lack, and with such renowned artists as Stephen Gjertson, Jim Prohl, and Jim Childe. Barbara received personal counseling by master artist Richard Lack, who is believed by many art connoisseurs to be the worlds greatest artist.
Barbara was invited to his studio and home numerous times where master artist Richard Lack critiqued her artwork. Barbara was able to see his art and admire his gorgeous floral garden full of peonies that he paints, where they had meaningful talks about art.
Barbara then moved to New York City and studied privately with the Spanish master Miguell Arguello while attending UCSC. When she moved to Maui, Hawaii in 1984, Barbara was greatly influenced by master artist Richard Nelson with whom she studied the Tri-Hue technique of painting. This technique helped Barbara to develop a greater understanding of color and light, and evolved her professional career as an artist.
Just after 9-11, Barbara and her newly wed husband Jonathan, curated a successful silent art auction for the American Red Cross on the occasion of their first wedding anniversary. Volunteering their time to secure donated art by many well-known artists on Maui, they also led another auction for the "Local Disaster Relief Fund" of the American Red Cross of Maui that was hailed as an outstanding success.
In 2002, Barbara felt the need to create a means for artists to get together and share in a community of creative endeavors. This heartfelt desire led to her founding of the "Maui Watercolorists Assocation" (MWA). She was full time volunteer coordinator of all art exhibitions and workshops, and served on the board of directors as President from 2002-2005.
Barbara has subsequently volunteered and served as curator in 5 juried art shows attended by many of Maui's most recognized water-based media artists. She has secured numerous top rate jurors for these exhibitions in a host of the finest reputable art galleries.
Barbara also has coordinated monthly art workshops in watercolor for artists of all ages and levels led by the top water colorists of Maui. Her goal is to present such programs to all interested participants at the most modest cost for members of the "Maui Water Colorists Association". These special and inspiring programs also reach out to Senior Citizens with special discounts and are sponsored by Maui Parks and Recreation.
Maui is Barbara's favorite subject to paint, a place of nature's bounty, laden with flowers and fruits, a landscape bathed in light and color. All of Barbara's art is inspired by and painted from nature, be it plain air painting of scenes of Maui, or flowers she lovingly grows in her garden.
In her Kihei/Wailea hometown Barbara currently offers private art classes for children and adults. Her sought-after Hawaiian Giclée art reproductions are available for sale and are well loved Hawaiian souvenirs and gifts for many, and pointed art exhibits for the connoisseur.
Barbara Steinberg's watercolors are about light and her artwork captures the timeless record of light's reflections. Barbara's art depicts flowers reflected on glass tops, boats reflected on water and the contemplative studies of tropical flowers and nature scapes. Many of Barbara's original artwork, Giclée art prints and cards can be seen at finer Art Galleries throughout the islands of Hawaii.
"My work is a spiritual contemplation done in traditional techniques. I work directly from nature, in purity of color, focused on the light on the subject..." ~Barbara Steinberg~