Meet our new friend and fellow resident of Hillsborough, artist Barbara Younger. Brace yourselves for a wave of energy and happiness!
Just a few years ago - on a whim - Barbara signed up for a painting class at the local senior center. She quickly realized that the art she was drawn to create was not something that would - or could - be taught in the class. When she listened to her inner artist, she found she was having more fun than she ever expected. Her steadfast friends met her artistic efforts with enthusiasm and encouragement. She was grateful for their support - it seemed her sense of fun was contagious.
Not only is she happy making art, Barbara Younger is making happy art almost every day. Her paintings feature simple figures, people yes, but mostly a host of other animals enjoying their moments in life. There are pigs happy to have mud and penguins happy to have snow, and others happily engaged in unusual activities: cats with names dressed-up for a party or ready to take a tango lesson. Many of them are just busy appreciating the world around them. All - well, almost all - of them happy.
With an eye for history and a mind for research, Barbara seeks out and accumulates souvenirs of our human lives - ephemera such as tickets, postage stamps, newspaper articles, valentines, recipes - to include in her art. Some pieces are more collage than paint, others vice versa. She enjoys learning about the lives and techniques of other artists, and so we find those insights reflected in her art.
Their simple shapes and straightforward smiles naturally attract children to Barbara’s art, making her booth very popular at art festivals. She is genuinely moved to see parents purchasing art for their children. She finds grown-ups are also shopping to please “the child within” and her heart is filled by that also.
Don't be mistaken: Barbara Younger values her art! She likes to keep her prices modest so that more people can share the happiness.
Learn more about Barbara Younger at www.barbarakyounger.com.