Quilt Camp at Sea is pleased that Barbara Lavallee will be a special guest on the 2008 Cruise For A Cure to New England!

Barbara Lavallee describes herself as a "very happy person." Indeed, her happiness is vividly presented in her folk art scenes. “I prefer to portray the magnificence of man... his joy and humor, his tenacity, his ability to overcome,” she says. Barbara can’t imagine her life without painting and states, “I want people to have fun. If people look and smile, then I feel the art is a success.” Born in Iowa, Barbara grew up in Wisconsin and graduated from Illinois’ Wesleyan University with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts.

Following in the footsteps of her mother, an art teacher, Barbara lived for 12 years in Sitka, Alaska, teaching art to Native students at Mt. Edgecombe boarding school. In 1976, she left teaching to devote her time to painting and printmaking. A single mother, Barbara credits her two sons, Chip and Mark, with adding immensely to the wealth of experiences and memories from which she derives a lot of the humor found in her characters. “They also shared the roller coaster ride of Mom making a living as a freelance artist.”

Now living in Anchorage, Lavallee paints prolifically with many originals reproduced into limited edition prints. Barbara developed her stylized figures by first working with silkscreen prints before turning to the watercolor medium. Her paintings and limited edition prints also reflect her world of kids, cats, and everyday Alaskan life. She especially enjoys painting women, who are usually depicted in bright colors doing things as diverse as picking berries, sitting in a hot tub, or doing aerobics. Her whimsical paintings depicting Alaskan life have made her one of the most celebrated artists in the state.

In addition to her beautiful original artwork, reproduction prints, and note cards, she has also become nationally known as an illustrator of children’s books. In collaboration with author Vicki Cobb, Lavallee has traveled to exotic locales like Brazil, Peru, Australia, Japan, and Africa to bring back images portrayed in the “Imagine Living Here” series of books. Additionally, she illustrated Snow Child for Scholastic Press and the award winning Mama, Do You Love Me? for which she received the coveted 1991 Golden Kite Award for the Society of Children’s Book Writers for excellence in illustration. A new book is planned for release in time for Father’s Day in 2005.

Barbara has a fabric line available through Red Rooster Fabrics - see your local quilt shop or contact Kathy Afflerbaugh at Parkland Parish Quilt Company at 253-531-4309 for these fabrics! 

Barbara was the special guest on the 2006 Cruise For A Cure and will be joining us again in 2008 for the 2008 Cruise For A Cure to New England!!