Artist Bio

Barbara Borgwardt

Barbara Borgwardt

“Don’t believe what your eyes are telling you.  All they show is limitation.  Look with your understanding, find out what you already know, and you’ll see the way to fly.”

Richard Bach
“Jonathon Livingston Seagull”

Transparent Watercolor Artist 

Originally from Milwaukee Wisconsin, Barbara was a professional fashion illustrator and an instructor of fashion illustration and design at a private women’s college for over 25 years.  Since she has moved to Arizona, she continues her transparent watercolor painting, exhibiting and teaching. 

Borgwardt is an award-winning artist. 

Her work is best recognized with her depiction of reflections in glass or metal objects. The technique uses layers of glazes entailing time consuming detail.  This method allows the transparency of glass to shine through. 

In 2015 Barbara received an award at the National Watercolor Society’s 95th International Exhibit. 

This piece was also selected for the National Watercolor Society Traveling Exhibit. 

Fork In The Road

"Fork in the Road"

 

 

Awards:
 
  • Honorable Mention: Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild, Signature Members Show 2015

  • Best of Show: Tubac Center of the Arts, 45th Members' Juried Show, 2013-14

  • Best of Show: Santa Rita Art League Juried Members' Show, 2012

  • Best of Show: Santa Rita Art League Juried Members' Show, 2011

  • People's Choice Award: Santa Rita Art League Members' Show, 2011

  • Best of Show: Tubac Center of the Arts, 42nd Annual Members' Juried Show, 2011

  • Third Place: Santa Rita Art League Juried Members' Show, 2010

  • Best of Show: Santa Rita Art League First Members' Show, 2009

  • Honorable Mention: Santa Rita Art League First Members' Show, 2009

  • Award of Excellence: Tubac Center of the Arts, 40th Annual Members' Juried Exhibition, 2009

  • Juror's Award: Santa Rita Art League - Murph Ranspot Memorial Competition, 2008

  • People’s Choice Award:  Tubac Center of the Arts, 38th Annual Member’s Juried Exhibit, 2008

  • Award of Merit: Southern AZ Watercolor Guild Member Show (Advanced Level), 2007

  • Second Place:   Santa Rita Art League-Murph Ranspot Memorial Competition, 2007 

  • Honorable Mention:  All Members Show-Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild, 2007

  • First Place:   Art Real Exhibit—Green Valley Recreation & Santa Rita Art League, 2006   

  • Award of Excellence-   juried League of Milwaukee Artists Exhibit---Cedarburg Cultural    Center, Cedarburg, WI, 2005

  • Honorable Mention- juried fall “Color of Harvest” Show---League of Milwaukee Artists Exhibit----Cedarburg Cultural Center,   Cedarburg, WI, 2003
  • Best of Show- juried League of Milwaukee Artists Exhibit—Charles Allis Museum, Milwaukee, WI, 2002

 

 

 

Juried Shows:
 
    • Transparent Watercolor Society of America, 39th Annual Exhibition, 2015

    • Tubac Center of the Arts, 44th Annual Members' Juried Exhibition, 2013
    • Transparent Watercolor Society of America 37th National Exhibition, 2013 
    • Santa Rita Art League Juried Members’ Show, 2012-13
    • Tubac Center of the Arts, 43rd annual Members’ Juried Exhibition, 2012
    • Arizona Aqueous XXVI, Tubac Center of the Arts, Tubac Az, 2012
    • Arizona Aqueous XXVII, Tubac Center of the Arts, Tubac, Az 2013
    • Tubac Center of the Arts, 42 Annual Members’ Juried Exhibition ,2011
    • Arizona Aqueous XXV, Tubac Center of the Arts, 2011 
    • Tubac Center of the Arts, 41st Annual Members’ Juried Exhibition, 2010
    • Santa Rita Art League Juried Members’ Show, 2010 
    • Arizona Aqueous XXIV, Tubac Center of the Arts, 2010

  • Santa Rita Art League First Members' Show, 2009

  • The 34th Annual Western Federation of Watercolor Societies Exhibition, San Diego, CA, 2009

  • Arizona Aqueous XXIII, Tubac Center of the Arts, Tubac, AZ, 2009

  • Tubac Center of the Arts, 40th Annual Members' Juried Exhibition, 2009

  • Tubac Center of the Arts, 39th Annual Members' Juried Exhibition, 2008
  • Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild 2008 Juried Member Exhibition, Tucson, AZ
  • Fiesta Sonora 2008, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, AZ Juror: Carol Ann  Schrader
  • National Watercolor Society Member Juried Show, 2008
  • The 33rd Annual Western Federation of Watercolor Societies Exhibition, 2008
  • Arizona Aqueous XXII, Tubac Center of the Arts,   2007 
  • Watercolor Wisconsin- Wustum Museum, Racine, WI, 2002, 2004
  • Faculty Exhibit- Mount Mary College, Milwaukee, WI
  • Milwaukee League of Artists-
    • West Bend Museum, West Bend, WI
    • Anderson Arts Center, Kenosha, WI
    • Mount Mary College, Milwaukee, WI
    • Charles Allis Museum, Milwaukee, WI
    • Cedarburg Cultural Center, Cedarburg, WI

 

 

 

Past Memberships:
 
  • Santa Rita Art League
  • American Watercolor Society
  • Milwaukee League of Artists
  • Midwest Watercolor Society

 

 

 

Current Memberships:
 
  • Tubac Center of the Arts

  • National Watercolor Society
  • Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild, Signature Member

  • Transparent Watercolor Society

 

Teaching:

Tubac Center of the Arts

Juror:

Juror for Arizona Aqueous - 2025

Tubac Center of the Arts Members' Juried Show 2014-15