Barbara Nielsen and her husband Louie live in Fremont, California and have four grown children and nine grandchildren who all live near by. She has always loved to draw. After her fourth child was born, she started painting and sold her artwork at local craft shows and boutiques and also took lessons from many well-known teachers. She then began teaching her friends at her kitchen table.

Barbara earned her CDA (Certified Decorative Artist) from the Society of Decorative Painters in 1979. Although she started with oils, she switched to acrylics with pen and ink and started designing her own packets and teaching seminars, at painting conventions, in local shops and in her home studio. She has a line of packets and authored three books as well as numerous magazine articles.

Designing and teaching fun happy projects for others to paint is a special Joy in Barbara’s life, she feels so grateful to be able to do what she loves, share it with others and make so many wonderful friendships along the way.