My name is Barbara Haviland. I have been creating fine art for over 35 years. I am mostly a self-taught, raw artist who draws inspiration from the world around me. My favorite artist is Dalhart Windberg. I love taking workshops to further my learning. You can never cease to learn something new. I usually paint from my photos. I love bright, bold, rich colors. I feel satisfied when someone can see the love I have put into the piece that I have created whether it is a landscape, a floral, a portrait, or a seascape. At this stage in my art career, I enjoy painting in Plein Air. It is both exciting and frustrating. Light changes, and shadows move, but I love it! A paint brush is my favorite tool. You can just about do anything with a brush and some paint. Painting brings out my passion. It is like reading a book; you can go anywhere. It is my escape. The problems of the world fade away. For a few moments, it is just me and the canvas. I feel as though I am meant to create art. GOD has blessed me in this way. I create in oils and usually paint on a canvas. I stretch my own canvas. Winsor Newton paints are my personal preference. Everything about painting just makes my day. I never get bored. Now that I am retired, I paint every day. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with an idea and must get it sketched on a canvas. I start with a vision and go from there. It just flows. Painting fills me with joy. I am married to Sam, my husband of 47 years. We have 3 grown children and 5 grandchildren. We have been fortunate enough to travel the country. I paint wherever we are. I do not think I could survive without painting. It is my drug of choice. I need it. I have to do it every single day. I am a sight painter. I simply paint what I see. Lately, my art has been taking on a fresh look of looseness, and I like it. Plein Air is my new thing. It feels great to create! Painting is very relaxing and gratifying. It is freeing. The world around us is so beautiful. I try to capture its raw beauty on my canvas. I love to paint landscapes of the bayou. They are my favorite! I also love painting flowers as well as animals. I paint everything. If you have a photo, I can paint it. I am so thankful to be able to paint and create art