Barbara Burk’s Bio

BARBARA BURK has been painting portraits in oil and pastel since 1972. Born and raised in New Orleans, she has a BA from Newcomb College, and has studied with many world- renowned portrait artists. Accomplished in both oil and pastel, Burk paints a wide range of subjects from small children to busy professionals. Recently, because of her love of animals, she has started painting portraits of pets.

Burk is a full signature member of the Pastel Society of America, past-President of the Degas Pastel Society and a founding member of the Portrait Society of America. Her portraits have been featured in several publications and have won numerous awards.

Barbara has been interested in drawing and painting the human figure since early childhood. Constantly fascinated by how facial expression can be an insight into mood and character, she has brought the training and knowledge she has acquired into her portraits and figure studies.

Barbara has recently moved to Plantation, Fl and looks forward to continuing her portrait work in this area.

Barbara’s paintings have been accepted in numerous national competitions and have traveled to several museums. She has had several one-woman and group shows.

Her portraits have won many awards throughout her career, including an Award of Exceptional Merit (1st place) in the Degas Pastel Society’s Member’s Show, and an Award of Special Merit in their 1996 Juried National Exhibition. She was also a finalist in “The Artist’s Magazine’s” National Portrait Competition in 1989.

Her work has been published in several magazine and newspaper articles, including being a featured artist in the American Artist Magazine’s July 1995 issue.

Collections and Commissions

Barbara Burk has painted portraits professionally since 1971. Her subjects include people of all ages. One of her most notable accomplishments is that she has painted portraits of over 50 members of the judiciary.

Her portraits are included in the collections of Tulane University, Nicholls State University, Isadore Newman School, and the American Lung Association of Louisiana. Her portraits are also included in the private collections of attorneys, businessmen,publishers, doctors and interior designers.