Barbara Ivey’s strong Native-American heritage and a family history on ranches in Colorado and New Mexico inspire the western themes of her work.  Creating powerful images of the land and people in bold rich color has created great success for this artist.

 In her travels Barbara found watercolor easier to carry and she spent years perfecting her technique, participating in show and getting awards, teaching in Missouri Texas, and New Mexico.  A signature member of the Southwestern Watercolor Society she served as president of the 800+ membership for 1996-1997.

 A trip to Kenya to meet her daughter coming out of Zaire for research, they toured the wildlife parks by train and truck. Barbara found a strong desire to paint the wildlife. Since then she has gone to Manitoba Canada, Alaska, Belize and reserves, Natl.Parks, zoos and road trips , finding subjects to put onto canvas. 

A list of juried invitations include the Albuquerque Museum Miniature Show ’93-’96, ’99-’03; Mountain Oyster Show, Tucson AZ ’96 –’03; Art for the Parks ’98 & 2000; the Gilcrease Miniature Show, Tulsa OK ’94,’01,’04, '06-'09; the Missouri Athletic Club “ America in Paint and Bronze” as their publication cover artist; the Pecos Roundup, Carlsbad, NM ’94 – ’96; the CM Russell Miniature Show ’03-’06. C M Russell Show '08 “The American Women Artist and the West Show” at the Tucson Museum of Art. The Cowgirl Up Show '07. In 2004 Barbara Ivey was one of twenty-six artists invited to participate in the painting of a three quarter life size buffalo sculpture for the auction to benefit the CM Russell Museum.

 Awards include the Grumbacher Gold Medal, Daler-Romney Gold Medal, Artist Choice at the Midwest Gathering of Artists in Carthage MO, and finalist in the Artist’s Magazine Art Competition of 11,500 entries, and many local shows.

 Barbara and businessman husband Carl, have a home in the mountains of Southern Colorado where she has a loft studio, and a part time home in Texas. They have three daughters and five grandchildren. 

 With the surrounding mountains, deer, fox,bear,turkeys and elk in her yard and the Native American reservation nearby she is eager to paint these subject.

Now painting in oils she hopes to convey the feeling to others she gets with each painting.