March 2026 Newsletter
It has been a season of deep reflection and creative growth in the studio. I’m thrilled to finally share some major updates with you—from a new digital home for my work to a very personal feature in one of my favorite art publications. Before writing this newsletter, my time and plans were severely interrupted by Covid and a dislocated shoulder. Luckily it is the left shoulder so I can still paint!
In this newsletter:
A New Digital Gallery: The re-design of my website.
In Print: My feature in Fine Art Connoisseur.
On the Road: The Museum of Western Art Roundup in Texas.
Fresh off the Easel: Two paintings for the Museum of Western Art Roundup.
What I'm Working on Now: Twenty-eight years ago, a book changed my life's direction. Today, as I revisit those same themes, I find they are changing my life's depth. I am painting with a renewed sense of 'now.'
Enjoy!
New Digital Gallery/Website
I am so excited to announce that my newly re-designed website is officially live! My goal was to create a space that feels as immersive as the landscapes I paint, while making it easier for you to stay connected with my work.
The new site features:
Digital Galleries: Explore and shop my latest available paintings directly in my Store.
Visual CV: A chronological look at my exhibitions and honors.
Media, Press, & News: Stay up to date with articles (like the Fine Art Connoisseur feature!) and studio updates.
Award Winning Paintings Gallery
Resources & FAQs: A dedicated space for common questions and artist resources.
This project was a true collaboration. I love working with Cecilia Roy at Snowdrop Creative, who designed the site. The entire process was a complete joy and an exciting learning experience for me, and I couldn't be happier with how she brought my vision to life.
In Print: A Featured Article On Grief and Beauty: Landscapes by Barbara Coleman
I am incredibly honored to be featured in the September 2025 publication of Fine Art Connoisseur. The article, "On Grief and Beauty," written by Allison Malafronte, explores a powerful experience I had during mourning my father’s death when I was seventeen. Seeing and seeking Beauty has been my North Star and has informed all my best work. It is a rare gift to have one's internal motivations so thoughtfully captured in print. Seeing my painting, Cloudscape, shared alongside this narrative is a milestone I am deeply moved to share with you.
Read the full article on my website:
On the Road: The Museum of Western Art 43rd Annual Roundup Exhibition and Sale
The Museum of Western Art Roundup Exhibition
This show brings together a wonderful collection of Western art, and it is a privilege to have my landscapes included in such a prestigious juried venue. I am thrilled. I will have two paintings in the exhibit and can't wait to attend the opening in person, see the art and meet the artists and collectors, and the incredible museum director and staff who have made this museum the Number One Western Art Museum in the country for 2025!
Fresh off the Easel:
For the Museum of Western Art Roundup Exhibition:
Ancient Echoes, 20x24, oil, $5200
The Shield, 18x24, oil, $4500
The Long View: Grief, Beauty, and the Easel
I first encountered Stephen Levine’s A Year to Live twenty-eight years ago while walking alongside my mother during her final year. Taking the question—“What if this were my last year, too?”—to heart caused the tectonic plates of my life to shift. I realized I simply didn’t have enough time to paint while teaching full-time at the University of New Mexico. I took a sabbatical, switched my medium to oils, and eventually made the bold move to leave academia behind to commit fully to the easel.
Now, I am participating in Spirit Rock’s year-long meditation program based on Levine’s book, and that same question is back in play. It is transforming my work from merely “capturing” a landscape to communing with it, turning the pursuit of beauty from an aesthetic choice into a spiritual necessity. This immersion is an opportunity to clear away "unfinished business" and enter a more vibrant relationship with life. I resonate deeply with Levine’s insight:
“I learned that love is the only rational act of a lifetime. Everything else pales in comparison.”
I am so curious to see what unfolds on and off the canvas this year.
"It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want—oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” Mark Twain
Happy Spring!
Barbara
