Barbara Lawrence was born in San Francisco and has spent most of her life in the San Francisco Bay Area and Santa Cruz California. She received her B. A degree from San Francisco State University and an M. A. degree from San Jose State University. She taught life drawing and advanced painting at the Pacific Art League in Palo Alto and is currently painting full time in her studio in Santa Cruz. One person shows include: The Memorial Union Gallery at U. C. Davis, The Monterey Conference Center, The Pope Gallery, Santa Cruz, The distinguished Artists Series, Santa Cruz Art League, San Francisco Introductions, at the Ebert Gallery and the Miyares Gallery, Sonoma Academy in Santa Rosa.
Juried shows include: " I'll bet you can't paint a Portrait - The Genesis of Bay Area Figurative Art Now" The Art Space Gallery, San Francisco. Juror: Theophilus Brown.
"California: Landscape of Dreams" Presented by the Winfield Gallery (Carmel) at the Fresno Art Museum.
"California" at Cabrillo College. Juror: Ruth Braunstein

Barbara is inspired by the rich tapestry of life in the Monterey Bay Area and paints both on location and in her studio. Her work is characterized by recognizable subject matter with an interpretation that synthesizes the essence of the subject with some of the formal qualities of abstraction. "I hope to express my love of the subject while retaining the power of strong, simple shapes as well as celebrate the sensual character of the medium." Her paintings can be seen at the Winfield Gallery in Carmel California