Inspired By Her Florida Surroundings





“Reflecting”, giclee, 17”x 23”

“Reflecting”, giclee, 17”x 23”

Naples Tropical foliage, botanicals and wading birds with feathers appearing soft and touchable fill the walls of Barbara Groenteman’s Fine Art Gallery & Studio in North Naples.

“When not painting or teaching,” said Groenteman, “I visit botanical gardens, the Everglades, parks and zoos that give me the inspiration for the animals and foliage I love to paint.”

“What’s Next”, original watercolor, 17”x 23”

“What’s Next”, original watercolor, 17”x 23”

Seven original watercolors are in the studio. Barely dist inguishable from their originals, the rest of her studio works are limited edition giclees printed with an eight-color printer on archival fine art substrate or surface, using pigmented inks tested for lightfastness for maximum print longevity.

She came to Florida from New York City where she was a graphic arts creative director and photographer. Since 2002, Groenteman has been an award-winning participant in over 30 juried art shows, including the top five in Florida. Her originals are in private and corporate collections internationally and she is a juried International Guild of Realism member.

“A Sea of Grapes #5”, giclee, 14”x 30”

“A Sea of Grapes #5”, giclee, 14”x 30”

In her original watercolors Groenteman uses the highest grade of lightfast transparent pigments executed on 300 lb. archival mould-made Waterford paper from England. They are then conservation framed to preserve archival integrity.

The genesis of her paintings starts with her photograph. She then sketches her subject to create the realism required before layering in the pigment, building up wet-inwet layers. Sometimes she drops the pigment from the brush into the clear water washes, allowing colors to mingle and dance on paper forming a shadow by a wing or a delicate beam of light from the sun.

Artist Barbara Groenteman demonstrates her technique starting a painting with wet-in-wet washes.

Artist Barbara Groenteman demonstrates her technique starting a painting with wet-in-wet washes.

She has perfected a background technique of gradient color changes across the canvas that gains depth by virtue of gravity from her slanted table. Passionate about the flow of color that balances the drama of light and shadows, she is equally adamant that composition is key to a professional outcome.

Originally painting botanicals from her own gardening experience, she recently added the wildlife of Florida. Fond of The Waiting Game, just inside the front door, she said she was particularly pleased with the outcome of the egret’s plumage.

A contagious smile and sense of humor influenced The Original Snowbirds, a group of five white pelicans.

Her Shi Tzu, Sienna, looks ready for a pat on the head in the small portrait leaning against the wall on the floor. One of Groenteman’s future goals as a pet portrait artist is membership in the Society of Animal Artists, a demanding juried process.

“Painting is my joy,” admits Groenteman. “An expression of who I am is found in each painting.”

See more at www.barbaragroenteman.com or contact her before visiting her gallery located in the artist colony of “Shirley Street Galleries & Studios” at 5760 Shirley Street.


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