Barbara Beretich
born 1935
“I was born. That’s for sure. A given. In Chicago, Illinois on March 25, 1936. In a hospital. My family moved around the country, so I attended multiple schools.
After WWII we moved to Point Loma in San Diego, California. This was very colorful as the Pacific fleet had just returned and covered the whole of the harbor. An awesome sight. Battleships, carriers, destroyers. You could walk across the water and be on board the whole time. After school (the 5th grade) I would wander through the fishing fleet, gathering whatever the catch of the day was for dinner.
In the 6th and 7th grades we lived in El Cajon, California. We raised multiple animals: hogs, sheep, cows, rabbits (the most multiple), chickens, and horses. My brother and I were formidable 4-H club members. Today he is a Veterinary doctor in North Carolina.
Then onto Ohio where I graduated St. Ursula’s Academy in 1954. While in high school I was a demon tennis player (Wightman Junior Tennis Team, Toledo, Ohio). I paid membership with the prize money from my lamb, who was the Grand Champion of the San Diego County Fair. After Ohio we returned to Chicago, and in 1958 I graduated the University of Illinois, majoring in art. Upon graduation I returned to California.
While traveling in Europe in 1960, I became a friend of the French artist, Francoise Gilot. This began a lifelong friendship and initiated a series of fellow artist relationships leading to arranging over 100 exhibits over the years. From 1962-65 I attended the Claremont Graduate University, receiving a M.F.A. degree (sculpture major) in 1965.
In 1968-69 I lived in Paris, studying painting and sculpture independently. From 1973-76 until the present 1999 I have been the sole proprietor of Galleria Beretich in my home in Claremont. This enterprise is a home based gallery. Given special permission by the city as a historical site. At various intervals, 1987, 1991, 1997 I was a set designer for the USIS (United States Information Service) in Cochin and Madras, India. In 1993 I worked in the Mourlot Lithography Workshop in Paris, France.
That’s all folks.”