Barbara Brown

Barbara Brown is an artist, author and forest-walker, from the wilds of British Columbia. She combines her deep connection to the natural world with her mission to bring the beauty and wonder of the forest to others. She has the ability to master the infinite nuances of the colour green, create spatial depth, harness light and shadow and add symbolism to accentuate the mystery, awe and magic of the woods. For over 20 years, Barbara has had a daily practice of walking in the forest where she lives, and her intimate knowledge of this forest is evident in her work. She captures its essence. Her detailed depiction of trees is further enhanced in every painting by a touch of other-worldliness – every painting contains an aspect of symbolism or geometry to convey the feeling behind the image. Often this aspect is hidden, not immediately obvious to the viewer, adding to the enchantment of the work. Her beautifully designed book, SYLVAN REFLECTIONS: Wanderings, Paintings & Ponderings From the Forest, contains 16 of her forest paintings along with poetic writings about the inspiration and the wonder to be found in her deep connection with the natural world. In her deeper and broader vision she sees a world “where nature in all its beauty is held in reverence, where we in the human family have fallen back in love with the natural world . . . for we take care of what we love.” Through her work Barbara brings the beauty of the forest to people, fostering a deepening of their own connection to nature. Barbara lives in a cabin that she and her husband built in the forest on a mountainside in the wild remote West Kootenay region of the Canadian Rockies; in the Slocan Valley, near Nelson. She explains, “This is a haven for free-thinkers and people who have chosen alternative lifestyles, tucked away in the remote southeast corner of British Columbia.” She holds a Bachelor of Science in Geography and a Diploma of Fine Art.