Barbara Drechsler

Barb Drechsler, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Artist in watercolours and acrylics

Barb is a local artist who lives in the District of Saanich in Victoria. She is from southwestern Ontario where she took up sketching as a hobby during her teen years.

After graduating from the University of Waterloo, her career path in government communications led her west to Edmonton where she studied drawing in the evenings through the art extension program at the University of Alberta. A watercolour seminar that she took at Red Deer College one summer inspired her to explore painting seriously.

In 1990, Barb moved to Victoria with husband Dennis, marine woodcarver, where she continued to paint and take art seminars while working full-time. She began to focus on painting birds and west coast nature scenes using watercolours.

Since retiring in 2008, Barb has studied painting through workshops and seminars under the guidance of some of BC’s finest watercolour and acrylic artists. Barb thoroughly enjoys enhancing her artistic skills and techniques in both mediums.

Her paintings of hummingbirds and the spirit bear have been featured on tins of Rogers’ Chocolates. Barb has been focusing on painting with acrylics

Barb is a member of the Saanich Peninsula Arts & Crafts Society (SPAC) on Vancouver Island. She can be reached at bdrex@shaw.ca.