Barb Bell

Barb Bell (she/her) is a Vancouver-based, self-taught visual artist. Having not started painting until the age of 65, Barb registered for art classes in December of 2021 as a hobby, upon retirement.

In no time her art teacher recognized her talent and suggested that Barb post her paintings and even branch out to start selling them.

Barb quickly set up a studio in her place and started painting. She naturally tapped into her diverse and trauma filled life, as well as her Métis culture. She struggles with mental health and chronic pain challenges which come forward in her colourful and abstract artworks. She typically works in acrylic, ink, pen and sometimes collage on 12” x 9” canvas paper. However, her preferred medium is acrylic. She is inspired by colour, intuitive thought process, and the subconscious mind.

She paints every day; it’s one of her favourite things to do and it helps to nurture her in a world that at times feels overwhelming. The Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival is the first time that Barb has shown her work publicly.

Artwork Gallery (Click images to enlarge)