While stationed in Germany in the 80s, Sue Barber studied Bauernmalerei, German Folk Art painting. "After teaching school and traveling, I married and became an army wife. I first moved to Harvard in 1976 when my husband was stationed at Fort Devens. We bought our house and lived here for two years before we had to move, so we rented it out. Fifteen years later, we returned. During the whole five years we were stationed in Germany, I studied German Folk Art. I began painting wooden boxes with antique motifs and other typical German designs."

Sue describes Bauernmalerei as the 'farmer painting' of Germany. "Rosemalling is to Norway what Bauernmalerei is to Germany. The itinerant painters went around painting old cupboards and other pieces of furniture. It is where Pennsylvania Dutch came from. I loved the painted furniture and was able to take courses at the local adult education classes in downtown Bad Toelz where we lived on the army kaserne. I painted several boxes in class as well as Schiesscheiben." Schiescheiben are wooden discs about 1 1/2 feet in diameter. They were used for actual targets for shooting competitions. Sue explains, "I believe the winner of the competition gets a painted scheiben and has to contract with an artist for the next prize to be painted. I have painted several with antique motifs from two books that I have. They are usually hanging on the walls of old inns or taverns called gasthauses."

When Sue returned to the United States, she lived in Newport, RI at the Navy base where her husband worked at the Navy War College as the Senior Army Advisor. She painted furniture (cupboards, chests and tables) for people there and continued to decorate boxes in that style. Sue still paints her German style boxes and featured them recently at the general store fair. At the Gatehouse in West Concord where she used to work, Sue sold many of her boxes. She also participated four years in a row in the Dunstable Artisans Show. Sue has also taught her craft at adult education classes both in Harvard and Boxborough.

In the past several years, she has taken up watercolor painting. "Though not schooled in art, I have been fortunate to have many wonderful teachers and have always had some kind of artwork in the making…I have a work space on our third floor but would sure love to be in a co-op somewhere where I might work more!"

Sue is studying watercolor painting locally with Harding Bush in Ayer. She also studied with Bill Griffiths at the Fitchburg Art Museum. She enjoys the challenge of watercolor. "In watercolor one cannot correct mistakes as well as with oils. There is a way to lift off paint but it is more difficult. I love it though and the fact that it is so easy to clean up after!" Sue focuses mostly on landscapes and motifs that her art teachers select in class. "I hope when I get all my ducks in row to be able to explore plein air painting."

For more information about her work or to commission a scene on a box, contact Sue at suebarber@verizon.net.