ABOUT BARBRA

Hello! I'm Barbra Ignatiev.

I believe that color has a big impact on your outlook. Through my art, I aim to inspire you to reach bigger, be bolder — and also have fun in the process.

I’m based in Santa Cruz, California with my surfer husband, Mike. We live in a beach home only blocks from the sea, a dream come true.

BARBARIAN® started in 2014, when we moved to California, as a way to express my wild-at-heart spirit. We needed colorful gear for our new adventurous beach lifestyle and to decorate our empty apartment — that’s how this was all born!

In 2023 we got a puppy and kitty (yep at the same time, very tiring lol) and that inspired me to offer custom pet portraits. I love meeting other people’s cuties and painting them!

In 2014, with just $10 in art supplies – and 30 minutes a day – I started painting.

I released painting after painting into the world. This was the start of something BIG.

I was noticed by several companies who wanted to collaborate — just by being brave and putting my art out there, as “imperfect” as it was.

A daily dancer, I paint in a carefree style, hoping to evoke the motto which is true in my life and I hope to instill in others:“Momentum not perfection.”

I believe in being bold, getting messy and loving yourself along the way.

The BARBARIAN® brand vibe is about experimenting and benevolence.

Although many people consider “barbarian” a harsh word I chose it with intention.

Besides being eponymous, the word has a deeper meaning.

It was a word first given to foreigners by the Romans a looooong time ago.

As humans sometimes do naturally, we label things negatively that we don’t understand.

What I aim to do is help make people comfortable with change and “otherness” — by inserting wild, imperfect beauty into their lives. (I’m BIG into scribbling and experimenting.)

I want to inspire imperfect action to conquer fear. Or on the flip, calm when the world is in chaos.

Perhaps that’s a tall order for art, but this is exactly what being creative has led me to – being a braver and calmer person.

My art is for those who crave more fun and empowerment in their lives.

I've worked with over a dozen companies to put more beauty into the world.

Home decor, bedding, handbags, resort wear, swimwear and soooo much more — my prints have it covered. Check out my brand deck on this page to see my major collaborations.

I’m proud to have been featured at Anthropologie — an exclusive collection of ceramics, stationery, and gifts. This was one of my first collaborations, which was a DREAM, especially as a burgeoning artist.

Being a lover of nature, I am dedicated to working with responsible manufacturers that make high-quality, ethically-made products. If you are an established manufacturer that shares my same love of the Earth and want to work together, jump over here – I’d love to hear from you!

Before building BARBARIAN, I worked at many design studios in the party, craft, and fashion industries. I have 20+ years experience in the product design field.

My desire is to cover the world in bold, inspiring art.

When I’m not painting, I’m at the beach with my surfer boy, Mike, and French water dog, Tiki, or playing with our kitty, Nougat.

I offer custom pet portraits. This has been a popular offering and keeps me busy these days! I love learning about and painting other people’s cuties. Learn more and get on the waitlist.

I enjoy trying new foods (mmmm fried grasshoppers!), discovering new plants and animals on long walks, and watching British dramas.

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Big love,

Barbra