Barbara Wade

June 2005

Barbara Wade is honored to display her works of art at the St. Charles Public Library during the month of June. Her love of oil painting was awakened by Professor Fred Messersmith at West Virginia Wesleyan College in the 50s, but those talents laid dormant for 38 years while she married, raised six sons, and taught first grade in Greenwich, Connecticut and Wild Rose School in St. Charles.

Upon retirement, she found herself behind the easel, fulfilling her favorite pastime under the direction of Joan Darflinger, Charles Carpenter, Buck Paulson, David Fisher, Leon Borkowski, and Tony Carnesecchi. Her mediums are oils, acrylics, charcoal, and pencil. Her subjects range from a variety of animals and birds, to flowers, butterflies, landscapes, local barns, and buildings.

She took third place in the Brush and Chisel Art Show at the Darflinger Studio and displayed works in the Joan Darflinger Studio Art Show at the Charlestowne Mall. She was Artist of the Month in April of 1996 at the St. Charles Public Library where she displayed thirty-five of her art works. Three of her paintings were accepted for the 18th Annual Alumni Homecoming Sleeth Gallery Art Show at West Virginia Wesleyan College in October of 1998. And she was the January, 2004 Artist of the Month at the Fox Mill Congregational Church of Christ.

Barb was an active member of the Fox Valley Alumnae Club of Alpha Gamma Delta, was a docent for the 1872 Sholes School Society and served on the Board. She also is a member of the Care Corps of the Congregational Church of St. Charles, the Pottawatomie Garden Club, the Arts Society, and the Retired Teachers of Aurora.

She and her husband Al have been married for 53 years. They are enjoying their retirement with Whitey their faithful dog and the joys of eighteen grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.