Bio

‘I have enjoyed the challenge of creating wool pictures using wool straight from the sheep’s back, depicting scenes of the early days of Australia, with the earliest product of Australia.’

Wool pictures with wool straight from the sheep’s back. Barbara Geisel’s  pictures hang on walls around the world with commissions ranging from the Commonwealth Trading Bank in New York to Astronaut Dr. Donald Lind. Pictures that have been sold personally by Barbara hang in Italy (Rome), England (Dorset, York, Northumberland), Greece, Wales, Canada (Ontario, Saskatchewan), USA (Houston, Toronto, Vancouver, Kansas, Florida, New York, Nebraska, Indiana, Los Angeles), Norway, Germany (Munich), Sweden, Denmark, New Zealand, Switzerland, Japan, Netherlands, Africa, India, China, Philippines, France, Hong Kong, Australia and other places.

They have been presented from societies to dignitaries such as Rajah Saboo of India; the Chinese Premier, Choui-En-Lai; World Presidents of Rotary; the International Wool Secretariat, Paris; the Head of the German Airline, Lufthansa; the Japanese Ambassadors who signed the Tarong Coal contract; the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations in New York; the Queensland Governor, Sir James and Lady Campbell; the Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm and Tammy Fraser; Elders Wool Warehouse (by the Premier Sir Joe Bjelke-Peterson) and the British Embassy.

They have been commissioned and acquired by the Commonwealth Trading Bank of New York (for their reception area); British Consuls.; American Consuls.; Dr. Donald Lind – NASA Astronaut who flew the Space Shuttle, Challenger; the Teachers’ Credit Union in Brisbane; Battle-Abbey School, Sussex, England; the Australian Wool Commission, Melbourne; National Party Queensland, Brisbane; Girls Grammar; Parliament House and the United Graziers Association.

Prize winnings include Brisbane Exhibition (2 years); Melbourne Show (1st Prize for 4 years); Champion Picture, Tara Show for 10 years; 1st Prize Australian Native’s Association in Melbourne; 3rd Prize in Australian Sheep Breeder’s Association; runner-up in the Florence Monod Award in Melbourne; Award of Excellence at the Woolshed, Brisbane and finalist in Dame Mary Durack Craft Awards.

Exhibitions have included the World Expo, Brisbane; Parliament House Art Show, Brisbane; State Sheep Shows, National Sheep Shows and Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame and Outback Heritage Centre.

The coloured wool pictures have been made with natural wool dyed with natural dyes, such as brigalow leaves, etc. Coloured cotton is a recent addition to her work with a picture claimed to be the first of its kind in the world auctioned during the 1996 Dalby Cotton Week with proceeds going to the Endeavour Foundation.