Barbara Schelling

Barbara Schelling is a lifelong graphic designer and lives in Bigfork, Montana. Five years ago, she sat on her porch and watched a Rufous hummingbird who was extremely territorial and just plain mean to all other birds and critters. This bird was dubbed Eric the Red because of his ferocious personality. She decided to paint him as Eric the Red Viking, which started her illustration career. In all the paintings, she wants to capture the details and anatomy of local birds and animals but add a quirky personality through fantastical embellishment and a brief story. Barbara is also a member of the Nakoda (Assiniboine) tribe and continuously learns about the cultural, personal, and historical aspects of being indigenous. She has found throughout all of this beauty, light, and humor in the details. BARBARA SCHELLING // BIGFORK