Charlotte County Artist Barbara Stoddard

The first spark came when her children brought clay home from school.

"Hmmmm," thought Bobbie Stoddard. "This is interesting."

She worked with the clay for a short while, then put it down. Not enough time. Life went on.

Twenty-eight years later, Bobbie found herself reading through her mail when she came across a flier advertising a sculpting class.

Again, just as when her kids brought the clay home, Bobbie was intrigued. Finally, she had time.

The first class caught her attention. The subsequent classes hooked her for life, and since then, Bobbie has gone on to become a well-known sculptress in the area, her work winning awards and being exhibited at numerous shows.

Perhaps the most amazing fact about Bobbie's artistic career is that it started in only 1991, when she moved to Port Charlotte from Langhorne, Pennsylvania.

Starting in 1993, Bobbie studied clay sculpture at the Port Charlotte Cultural Center for two years in a class taught by Frank Mullen. In 1995, she took instruction in portrait sculpture from Charles Meyrick at the Sarasota Visual Art Center and live model sculpture from Kevin Costello at ACED, Sarasota.

She has exhibited at:

• Port Charlotte Visual Art Center, Punta Gorda
• Venice Art Center
• Sarasota Visual Art Center
• Naples Art Association
• Cape Coral Art League
• Art League of Manatee County
• Longboat Key Art Center
• Lee County Alliance of the Arts
• Port Charlotte Arts & Humanities Council
• Frizzell Gallery, Ft. Myers
• Savings of America Bank, Port Charlotte

Gallery 1 Gallery 2

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