"An artist in Laguna Beach for more than 30 years, Suzanne Barber opened Gallery at The Villa in July 2022. She was the artist in residence at Montage Laguna Beach and taught art there for many years. She also represented 15 artists at a prominent Laguna gallery and has worked as a spa and wellness consultant, opening over 50 resort spas and teaching wellness classes including art therapy.

She had long wanted to open her own gallery, so when she noticed the pink building in north Laguna was available to lease, it seemed like the perfect spot.

"I turned it into what I call my design space,” Barber says. “I love doing custom commissioned work, so it is my design showroom. It has furniture that I pick out and place. [And] I do different types of abstracts, like abstract florals and bright colors—big paintings mixed in with different mediums like stucco and concrete. It is a place I love going to.”

Having her own design gallery in Laguna is a dream come true for Barber. Her gallery, filled with her own works—created with acrylics, often using her hands or a palette knife—and furniture vignettes, evokes a feeling of entering a warm and inviting living room."

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“My intention is always to inspire and encourage viewers to thrive in their lives and be motivated by their living spaces,” Barber says. “I am open to displaying other artisans in the future, hence why I use the name Gallery at The Villa. But, for the moment, I want to focus on my art.”