Barbara Lavallee

Barbara Lavallee graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University with a Bachelor’s degree
in Fine Arts. She began her career teaching art at a Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona and then at Mount Edgecombe, a native school in Sitka, Alaska. Barbara has been a professional artist since 1976 and now lives in Anchorage, Alaska.

Many of her watercolor paintings have been reproduced as limited edition prints. She especially enjoys painting women, children, and animals. They are depicted as whimsical, stylized figures in bright colors that are involved in many aspects of everyday Alaskan life. Barbara is also nationally known as an illustrator of children's books. She received the Golden Kite Award for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators for excellence in illustration for Mama, Do You Love Me? in 1991. Her art is also seen in note cards, gift enclosure cards, holiday cards, calendars, coasters, magnets, coffee mugs, tile trivets, and Christmas ornaments, as well as quilting patterns and kits. The Cat Party, Barbara's new collection for Red Rooster, features furry little cats at play, balls of yarn, a toss of fish, multi-colored dots, and a wonderful border stripe, all in bright and lively colors.