With brush in hand and paint on her palette, Barbara J. Doucette expresses a reverence for nature, the often "unseen" beauty that surrounds us if we would just slow our pace a little to view it. Her work issues an invitation to step into her world of color, light and to look into nature's windows!

A Cincinnati, Ohio native and former high school art teacher, Barbara lives with her husband Bob in the beautiful, tropical area of Sarasota, Florida. From her northern roots to the wonderful areas in the south, Barbara has been provided abundant subject matter from the color of the fall leaves to the small butterfly resting on a camellia,plus the wonder of graceful herons, egrets and songbirds.

A member of both the Charleston Artist Guild in South Carolina and the Art Center of Sarasota, Florida, she often paints from her surroundings, including some of the everyday encounters with nature.

All of her subject matter results from direct experiences. A quiet walk in the woods, to gazing into the heart of a flower or a close-up view of a butterfly's wing, may end up as an award-winning painting. With the Florida Gulf Coast beaches and Sarasota's tropical weather, both allowing great light year-round and the diverse beauty of the area, the subject matter is never-ending!