Born in Detroit, Michigan, Barbara Twombley is a multi-media artist, a visionary, and an entrepreneur. These talents were evident from early childhood, when she astonished her family with her imaginative drawing and painting skills. Her first commissioned piece, at age 15, was a detailed charcoal drawing of a 94-year old woman.

She attended The College of Creative Studies in Detroit, majoring in ceramics, watercolor, and fabric design. After college, Barbara worked for a graphic design studio as a lettering artist.

For 20 years, Barbara created her own Christmas cards, each year in a different medium. In 1982, she used chunky metallic glitter and school glue from the dime store on the card. She was surprised by the amount of positive feedback she received, and a friend even commissioned her to make 50 glittered invitations fro  New Year’s party. This first order was the beginning of a future in the handmade greeting card business.

It took two years of research to develop Ultrafine Art Glitter and her Designer & Fabric Dries Clear Adhesives. These were used to create Northern Lights Cards, the first handmade all-glitter, all occasion greeting card line in 1984. The business grew from Barbara making just a few cards a day to a company of seven women producing 1,500 to 2,000 cards a day for an international market.

After numerous requests, Barbara decided she would market her supplies to stampers and crafters. They wanted to learn “The Art of Glittering so that they could use the same techniques to create unique and sparkling cards. After developing her own glitter colors, industrial strength adhesives, and metal writing tips that are a part of The Art Glittering System, she became known as the “Glitter Queen.”

Art Institute Glitter, Inc. now supplies artists and artisans, crafters and craftsmen with more than 375 brilliant glitter colors and industrial-strength adhesives. Her products have been featured on Martha Stewart’s “The New Martha Show,” “Home Shopping Nework,” and “QVC,” and “Ideal World” in England. She frequently appears on the “Carol Duvall Show” on HGTV, demonstrating how to make glitter lace cards, Faberge eggs, and gorgeous layered medallions. Hundreds of stores throughout the world carry her full line of Art Glitter products.

In 2003, Barbara was given the Entrepreneur of the Year award from the State of Arizona. Since then, she has opened her own fine arts gallery next to Art Institute Glitter’s showroom in Historic Cottonwood, Arizona. She is an exhibiting artist at the Sedona Arts Center and a member of the Color Marketing Group.

When asked about her success, she replies, “Do what you love! I love art and I love color and I love creating.” Barbara has inspired many people to take the ordinary to the extraordinary. Her passion and love for glitter has motivated countless others to reach beyond their normal capabilities and attain artistic heights they never dreamed possible. She has added sparkle to lives all over the world.