Artist / Opera Singer

VITA

Barbara has been a strong advocate for the arts, both in California and New Mexico.  She has spoken before the New Mexico Legislature pertaining to the Art in Public Places Issue, initiated a program for rotating art shows at City Hall, wrote a successful grant for the arts for the Village of Ruidoso, and donates her time to the schools on subjects relating to the arts.  She has been nominated several times for the Governor's Excellence in the Arts Award.

In 2001, Barbara donated a 5'X6' painting named "Winged Victory" of a Russian-American ballerina  to the Gala at the Santa Fe Opera, organized by Randy and Elizabeth Travis to benefit the Cerro Grande fire victims.  The painting was sold for $10,000 at auction.

Barbara presently reviews opera companies in California, Arizona, Texas and New Mexico.  In addition, she and her husband Paul have a voice studio teaching serious students and Barbara will have a concert in the fall of 2003 in Ruidoso.  Barbara is continuing the filming of her cooking show this summer and will teach classes in herbal uses, etc.  Plans are in the works to do a video series on voice instruction, and a documentary of the Westbrook's life in the musical world.  These will be aired on cable and PBS.

The busiest people always get the most done is borne out by the magical life of this singular dynamic artist.

Barbara has had nine one-woman shows in California, Arizona, Texas and New Mexico. Her work has been publicly displayed throughout the United States and was recently accepted by the Museum of Modern Art in Paris, France.  Barbara is a former opera and musical comedy performer. She has sung with Leopold Stokowski and opera companies throughout the USA and has toured in musicals with top companies. She made her debut at 13 in San Antonio's Civic Light Opera's production of Vagabond King, and at 16 sang opposite Jennie Tourel in Mahler's Resurrection.  Barbara's husband Paul, sang with the New York City Opera, was a soloist with the Shaw Chorale as they traveled throughout the world for the State Department and recorded with Toscanini.

The transition into the visual arts in 1987 was a natural progression for Barbara. For seven years she painted on her own and then started studying privately. Barbara paints in both oils and acrylics. Her 5,200 square foot gallery in Ruidoso, New Mexico is called "California Colors Art Gallery". Currently, Barbara is a member of many civic and artistic organizations and writes for various newspapers reviewing operas and art-related issues.  Barbara is dedicated to networking and helping the next generation of artists. Her goal is to have Ruidoso become a valid artist's Mecca.  Her work reflects the joy, music and passion of flowers, buildings, bodies, and clouds of the world. We hope you enjoy her focus on the diversity of the world as she sees it. She is NOT boring!