Meet Barbara Outterson

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Barbara Outterson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Barbara, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

This is an easy question for me, because I am such a big believer in constant growth and rebirth.

I find that I am never at a lack for ideas in any creative endeavor, especially in my painting. I enjoy journaling, meditating, and finding various other, therapeutic ways of dealing with my emotions and past trauma. The best way to truly purge (for me) is to paint vignettes from my life. I capture the mood and memories of important moments that shaped me, and I release them onto the canvas. My hope is that others will resonate with the emotion there and not feel so alone. It is very freeing and allows me to keep pushing forward and choosing who I want to be next.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I have been chin-deep into art and music since I could walk, so it was very natural for me to gravitate into fields where I could eat, sleep, and breathe those subjects. I also enjoy other artistic endeavors, but my primary focuses have been my music studio of 30 years, where I do vocal coaching and piano lessons and my visual art in mixed media.

I am currently working on a painting series that encompasses my life’s journey, in a very “Alice In Wonderland” way. At times, it is very dark, but so are the emotions I am working to overcome. I regard it as my “Legacy” series. I depict the dark places I had to navigate (and decisively leave behind), but also emerge into the sunlight and express the things I chose to pass on to the next generation, triumphant, like a phoenix rising from the ashes.

I have a good friend and extremely talented artist working on her own version of this “hero’s journey,” and we hope to put our collections together for exhibition, locally, in 2025.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Work ethic, unending hope, and a desire to know myself and set boundaries have catapulted me into all of the best scenarios of my lifetime, in every aspect of my life.

I would tell anyone who is just starting out in any field that work ethic and time management are your best friends. If you can have order in your work life, then you can have the energy and stamina to grow with the success that comes from being disciplined and (somewhat) predictable.

I have had my share of struggles, which prompted me to get a third degree (in addition to my music degrees) in something I am very passionate about; Psychology. I learned enough to begin to dissect myself and learn about what I needed to be happy on this planet. No matter what challenge or disaster has met me, I nearly always wake up hopeful. I know that change is always coming. I would advise that looking for tiny reasons to feel true gratitude, each day, is a great way to drive passion, when things could, otherwise, seem bleak.

If one can be organized and know what makes them tick (to a reasonable degree), then they are going to have an easier time setting boundaries. This, in turn, leads to better productivity, making time for mental health, and working on important relationships. Everything in balance.

How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?

At the moment, I am struggling with the feeling that I am still very youthful, just beginning and looking forward to what will unfold for me, but then looking around and realizing that my role within my family, the world, and my life, is changing drastically. Although most of us understand how time works, being over 50 is something that we think is always so incredibly far away. I have arrived at that place and find that I am not as “okay” about it as I expected to be.

There is no part of my life that is not affected by this realization. I am having to reinvent myself. Yes, I have much more wisdom at my fingertips, but the world doesn’t think of my generation as the one that is trailblazing and setting standards. The truth is, we have so much more to give- “The Amazing Gen X!” I have so much inside of me that I still want to share. I don’t feel old, nor do I believe that 52 is old, but it sure is challenging.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @barbara_artworks
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@barbaraouttersonartwork

Image Credits

All photos included are originals taken by me, Barbara A. Outterson.