I am a storyteller.  Whether working in various art media or writing poetry and prose, I find myself floating into some imaginary person's life.  Often women and children mysteriously draw me into their worlds and emerge through my work.  Also, my spiritual life flows in color, language and form.

Experimenting for years with different art forms, I discovered the freedom of mixing them at will to create the effect I want.  Watching my father patiently coax exquisite furniture from planks of walnut influenced my love for building assemblages.  I learned to honor tools, get my hands into the experience and work slowly, often on three to five pieces at once.

Fascinated with castoff materials such as rusty tools, vintage kitchen items, old books, discarded metal, watches, and glass lenses, I am challenged to reuse these items in collages or assemblages.  I like to weave words like secrets into my pieces.  Often I hide an original poem on the canvas back or bottom of the assemblage.

I am stimulated by artists in all media and especially enjoy showing my work with a group of mixed media artists called "On & Off the Wall."

Barbra Minar is a published author and poet, and performing storyteller.  In recent years she has been invited to exhibit visual art in over 10 galleries in Santa Barbara County.