Barbara Szkutnik

From an early age Barbara was encouraged to pursue her inclination to draw, spending summers in the Toledo Art Museum’s Art Program. During high school she studied art for four years, but also began to work on acquiring a pilot’s license. After a move to Fairbanks, Alaska she continued to draw but also obtained advanced pilot ratings. This allowed her to earn a living by hauling mail, freight and passengers to small communities along the Yukon and Tanana Rivers. Only after moving to Vancouver, Washington did she begin working again in color. Ten years in Alaska’s harsh and often-monochromatic landscape provided a deep appreciation for the richness and variety of the Northwest’s palette. Her present occupation as an international airline pilot provides continuing visual stimulation and the opportunity to observe and paint a wide range of subjects and locations at home and abroad. However, she continues to return to the landscape. It is here she finds the same sensations as being aloft: balanced, centered and totally focused.