Barbara Bouman Jay (Born 1947) was born in Paterson, New Jersey, and moved to Clearwater Beach, Florida in 1955. She grew up experiencing the mostly unruffled view of the Gulf of Mexico and the open spaces of the beach. She spent childhood years roaming the shoreline, looking for weathered wood protruding from the sand and half hidden perfect shells while gaining a sense of awareness and space with her surroundings that would serve her in her lifelong quest of subtlety and simplicity. Her academic interests were awakened by her early college studies at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida, while her awareness of society at its worst and best were heightened by the political issues of the day. She says it was a wonderful time to come of age with the influences of the quickly changing American culture and the experience of the changing times of the 1960’s.
While studying art and sociology, Barbara came face to face with the powerful influence of the 1960’s abstract artists. She also witnessed the founding by Donald Saff of the University of South Florida, Graphicstudio, now considered to be one of the leading printmaking ateliers in the country. The experience of observing visiting artists greatly influenced her thinking and her art. Barbara graduated with a BA in Sociology in 1969, and then continued studies in art education and studio art, completing requirements for a teaching credential of secondary art. She began a 3-year travel odyssey in 1973, studying and working in West Africa, England, Iceland, Germany and travelled throughout sub-Saharan West Africa.
