Meet the Artist Barbara Anne Applegate was born in 1944 in Fort Worth, Texas and then at age 5 moved with her parents to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Growing up in the great southwest gives a  perspective of colors, value and hues in her painting a vibrant color patterns. Barbara's compositions and use of light and color have attracted private collectors. Although a self taught artist, her approach to art is of places remembered from her youth, a fond memory of animals and children, fuzzy puppy kisses, the whinny of a horse, meow of a cat, the feeling of sun on your face on a summer day. She usually wants to put a puppy, or a cat, or a horse into the piece, especially her Australian Shepherd dogs and children, because they have played a big part in her life.

• She currently lives in the beautiful rural and rugged scenic Rogue River Valley of Southern Oregon,  a self taught artist, starting her painting career in the late 1960's with oil painting on cardboard and the left over paints from a paint by numbers set, I turned the paint by number picture over and painted on the back, they turned out pretty good so that's what got me started. In 1972, I painted my first canvas using oils, then beginning in the 80's moved to acrylics as a medium of choice, and started painting Tole' and decorative art.
• As far as  artwork, you will find she is most comfortable painting animals, landscapes and seascapes with a flair of the southwest where she grew up. Given that I was born in Texas, raised in New Mexico after marrying a sailor, moved to Whidbey Island, Washington, California, Minnesota, Connecticut, and have lived in Oregon since 1981, and in the Rogue River valley in 1991. Gives her a first hand knowledge of many different parts of the country from which to draw ideas.

• Barbara has a real fondness for some of the western art greats such as Charlie Russell, Martin Grelle, and Tim Cox. 

• Barbara says, "I sometimes spend years creating a piece, sometimes its only weeks. Sometimes the art just comes as the canvas progresses and sometimes it is well planned from a picture in her mind. Her art is a reflection of who she is, and what makes her tick,"

• Barbara is now semi-retired most of her time is consumed by painting, Barbara continues to raise and train Australian Shepherd dogs since 1984 and also finds the time to Judge Australian Shepherd conformation shows occasionally. She is an Australian Shepherd Club of America sanctioned Breeder Judge since 1994. And her kennel was awarded the prestigious Hall of Fame Award. In 1997, I start creating computer generated dog animation using some of my old artwork I used to create my animated gifs. And now I have come full circle, I am back to painting with oil on canvas in 2007, she offers unique original oil paintings, limited edition prints  and some greeting cards.

• In April 2007, I started painting with oil on canvas again after a 25 years vacation. 

• Entering my first art show I won second place in the intermediate, oil, animal category at the Josephine County Fair in August 2007. 

• In September 2007 I entered the 'Take a walk along the Rogue Art Show',  and won First Place in the Adult Division.

Barbara Anne Applegate 1241 Dowell Rd # 40   Grants Pass, Oregon 97527     Phone  (541)  956-6375    ~    E-MAIL US  © Copyright 2007  All  Rights  Reserved