Barbara Ortiz
New Smyrna Beach, FL
barbaraortiz.com
barbaraortizart@gmail.com

Capturing a moment of joyful observation and conveying that moment through the use of light and shadow, textures and edges in her representational oil paintings and pastel paintings is the reason she paints.

She enjoys the challenge of working in Plein Air. Due to the ever-changing light, holding onto that original visual image and incorporating a sense of weather and time of day takes immense focus. Barbara says ”This is my happy place.”

Barbara grew up in New Milford, New Jersey. She began drawing at an early age influenced by her father, an amateur oil painter. Living close to New York City, her family spent many weekend exposing her to the art museums, galleries and abundant street art.

Barbara took life drawing classes in the North Jersey Art Center while in high school. She studied fine art at Monmouth College and Fairleigh Dickenson University.

In 1984, Barbara moved to Cancun, Mexico where she resided until 1994. During this time she worked frequently in watercolors. Upon returning to the United States, Barbara, along with her husband and two children, settled in Florida.

Barbara has taken classes at Crealde School of Art, Winter Park, Florida as well as The Longboat Key Center For the Arts, Longboat Key, Florida. She has had the privilege of honing her skills in classes and workshops under renowned artists, David Leffel, Greg Kreutz, Morgan Samuel Price, Calvin Liang, Lori Putnam, Don Demers and Mary Erickson.