Colorado artist Barb Benik has been a student of art her entire life. After retiring from the engineering profession in 2000, Barb began to study oil painting.

Influenced by the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists, Barb is a contemporary realist and colorist. She displays her work in local art exhibits and shows, and she is a member of the art co-op South Union Gallery in Lakewood, Colorado. She works in pencil, acrylic, watercolor, and oil.

Barb is now on a sabbatical from creating new art work and is focusing her attention on the transitions occurring in other areas of her life.

Barb is a member of the Mountainside Art Guild and the Lakewood Arts Council (LAC). She serves as the LAC bookkeeper, and she is a 2007 LAC Board member-at-large.

Barb maintains and updates the websites for both of these organizations.

Barb also serves the Colorado State Music Teachers Association as their executive assistant.