Barbara Pontius has an MBA from Cornell University and previously worked as a Vice President at Citicorp. She also has a Masters in Theology, and used to teach character education. She is defined by her youthful exuberance, drive, and spirituality, and describes herself as someone who loves to laugh and play in the mud. After moving to Santa Fe, Pontius fell in love with the area’s spirituality and natural beauty which inspired her to begin building the sculptures she calls her clay stacks. The artist grew to love the uplifting form, the sense of proportion and balance, and how they joyfully blur the lines between indoors and out. Pontius uses a profusion of color in her stacked sculptures, which she draws from the vibrant hues native to the Land of Enchantment. Barbara Pontius currently lives and works in Santa Fe, New Mexico.