Hi, I’m Barbara (Barb) Graetzer. I’m a Brooklyn-based artist and creative director, originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — and half-German. Along the way, I’ve lived in Colombia, Michigan, and Chicago. I speak three languages fluently… and somehow manage to butcher all of them equally. So I usually let the work speak for me. Whatever you interpret — that’s the truth.

My murals have popped up on walls across New York (and beyond), filled with characters who don’t take themselves too seriously. They live in a world where quirks are celebrated, imperfections are beautiful, and joy always finds a way in — because that’s when we’re our most human and our best. For me, it’s proof that art can connect us all, even when words fall short.

I studied Visual Communications (BFA) and Illustration (MA) and I’ve spent 20+ years as a Creative Director in advertising. That taught me how to shape stories with intention — but my art is where I let go, painting instinctively, freely, and in the moment.

When I’m not painting or dreaming up new characters, I’m probably with my family, surfing, or both. I try to bring that same mix of balance, mischief, and childlike spirit into everything I do, because that’s what keeps both the soul and the work alive.