ABOUT THE ARTIST
My name is Jennifer Barber. I have over 30 years of experience as an artist in the Bay Area. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Art from San Jose State University. While in college, I specialized in incorporating electronics into artistic presentations, culminating in a multimedia show that harnessed the power of the ocean on a beach in Santa Cruz. Following graduation, I became a graphic artist and art director at several companies and startups in the South Bay. I left High Tech to become a freelance graphic artist and photographer for many years and to raise my three children.
I have taught art at elementary schools and summer camps in the South Bay for the last ten years. My lessons draw from different cultures, styles, artists, and methods. In my own art, I have dabbled in many kinds of art, from photography to stained glass, painting, drawing, textiles, and, now, Zentangle.
I traveled to Providence, Rhode Island, in June 2016 to learn the Zentangle method of drawing and meditation from founders Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts. About a year before I attended the training conference, I learned how to make some tangle patterns from books or online. At the time, I was only interested in creating beautiful images, and trying to make it perfect could be stressful. During the Zentangle training, I learned the history and philosophies behind Zentangle from the people who invented it. Now I understand how the "zen" part of "Zentangle" works. I have never been able to calm my mind with meditation or yoga, so it was amazing to finally find a way to enter a state of relaxed focus and mindfulness.
Since 2016, I have taught 100s of classes to individuals and groups, including Stanford Heath, Google, 1440 Multiversity, and The Dancing Cat. I would love to teach you that "Anything Is Possible One Stroke At A Time™" during one of my upcoming classes. I am very proud of my ability to teach large groups, so I am available if you're looking for a team-building activity!
