Barbara was born in Columbus, Ohio, and moved to New York City as a teenager to study at The Traphagen Institute of Fashion and The Art Students League of New York. There, she met Clarence Raymond Wood, who later became her husband. After World War II, they relocated to Southern California, where Barbara continued her studies at Otis Parsons School of Art and Pasadena School of Fine Arts.

Barbara built a successful career as an artist, exhibiting her work across the U.S. and internationally in places like England, Scotland, and Japan. She is best known for her vibrant use of color, --"For me, color is the music of painting".