After graduating from the Glasgow School of Art in 1988, where she won the Landscape Prize and the Armour Prize for Still Life, she continued her training at the Kunstakedimi in Oslo, Winchester School of Art, in Barcelona and at the University of Southampton.

Drawing her inspiration from nature, Barr’s paintings reflect her continued interest in capturing the vitality of the British landscape. Colour is a key element in her work and her expressive canvasses explore panoramic sea views, rolling fields and hills and dynamic floral compositions.