My name is Barbara Harman and I’m a novice. I grew up in the southern part of New Mexico and have lived in Texas, North Carolina, Germany, and Jordan.

I took watercolor and drawing classes at Pierce College through their Community and Continuing Education program. I made greeting cards for family members, note cards that married watercolors to tatted embellishments, and paintings that evoked my emotion at the time. A quote from Georgia O’Keeffe became a mantra for me. “It belongs to me. God told me if I painted it enough I could have it.”

20 years after the Pierce College classes, the fun of putting a brush to paper has been rekindled by the Sumi-e classes at the Lakewood Senior Center. The happiness and pride of PSSA members as they share their knowledge and talent is inspiring.