Barbara grew up in East Africa, her childhood spent in the wilderness from the Indian Ocean to the Ruwenzoris. Her father, an engineer, was an artist and cartoonist for the East African Standard newspaper. Building railways like the famous 'Lunatic Express' to the Mountains of the Moon, he inspired his seven children to paint and travel extensively. Barbara Jane studied design and pursued a career as art director designing film sets, taking her all over the world, eventually returning to East Africa where she settled, producing and designing TV commercials and short films. She now lives in Portugal.