Barbara Ann Kipfer is the author of 14,000 things to be happy about, which has more than 1.5 million copies in print and her other website is thingstobehappyabout.com. Please note that AP Central has chosen 14,000 things to be happy about as Teachers' Resource for Studio Art. Barbara's book Starting Artist, with notes on painting and drawing, is available on Kindle.
Artist Statement: I have always been drawn to everyday materials and all their colors - and inspired by everyday life, which is why I document the little things and focus on everyday objects. In my paintings, mixed media, and illustrations I have incorporated an ethnographic approach to capture through my art the little moments we are experiencing. Having long been a part of the tech-addicted world where I have worked with words as a lexicographer and author, I want to create art that brings happiness, wonder, gratitude, and serenity into people's lives. I am also inspired by pointillism and aboriginal dot painting, and I use repetition, patterns, and the exploration of one image or detail, to create opportunities to pause and reflect. I hope my art evokes something to be happy about in others and inspires others' creativity.