The Art Cubby
Barb Luthy Ley comtinues her family's tradition of artistic expression. Her father was active in the Monroe business community as a sign creator and mural painter.
Barb remembers: "My father bought an easel and brought it into our living room; he taught me how to mix colors with the paint. He was a sign man, a bender of glass. When he retired, I took him to oil painting classes and he painted many cnvases and pastels after that. It was a gift that we gave to each other."
Mrs. Ley specializes in oil painting. she feels that oil has a depth that allows the painter to capture the soul of the painting. She also paints with acrylics, a medium in which she feels allows her to illustrate a moment in time. She states that it is fresh and exciting to paint with watercolors; she also has a new love in water soluble oil.
Barb shares: "I have a basic NEED to paint. this is not 'work' -- it's pure joy and fulfillment. It's as though time ceases to exist and your spirit soars right out of your body and onto the canvas.