Barbara Zanelli graduated with a B.F.A. in Illustration from Syracuse University in 1999, and immediately moved to NYC. She met success in shows at Figureworks Gallery and Get Real Art, but felt drawn to study classical painting in Florence, Italy. She lived there for one year studying drawing under Mario Pachioli. Then in 2004, she moved to Philadelphia on a full scholarship to study with Nelson Shanks at Studio Incamminati. It was here that she developed her portrait painting and color theory skills. She left the atelier in 2006 to work on a series of large thematic paintings and began to explore landscape painting. After travelling and painting extensively, Barbara returned to Incamminati to finish the Professional Program in 2015 and served as a teaching fellow at the school for two years. She currently teaches at several different art centers around Philadelphia and NJ.
