Popular local artist Barbara Yeomans died on Jan. 17. The artist, art instructor and arts supporter was 92.
Yeomans was a Florida-based painter, printmaker and mixed media artist. For the past 30 years, her work has been exhibited in solo and group shows in England, New York, New Jersey and Florida, including BIG ARTS on Sanibel Island and the Alliance for the Arts.
Her support for the Alliance for the Arts began in the 1970s. Said the Alliance in a Facebook post, “Her presence, artistry, and generosity helped shape the cultural fabric of our organization and our community.”
Yeomans was honored in 2018 as a Grande Dame by the PACE Center for Girls of Lee County in recognition of her lifelong commitment to creativity, mentorship, and community service. Her legacy as an artist, mentor, and champion of the arts will continue to inspire generations to come.
MORE INFORMATION:
Yeomans’ life spanned two continents and eras of profound change. Born in the Cotswold region of England, her family lived in London when Germany began bombing the city in 1940.
After the war, the teen excelled in the arts and was awarded a scholarship that enabled her to pursue a degree in fashion at Cheltenham College of Art. During her studies, she won several design awards and had the privilege of studying under some of the leading artists of the day.
While still in school, Yeomans met a young American airman, Lawrence Sherrill Yeomans, who was stationed in England following the war. They fell in love and married after Yeomans immigrated to the United States in 1954.
Over the ensuing decades, Yeomans witnessed Fort Myers’ transformation from a small town into a sprawling city. While raising a family, Yeomans continued to nurture her passion for the arts by volunteering as an arts teacher.
Together with her husband, a commercial printer, Yeomans was an early supporter of the Alliance for the Arts in the 1970s. Most recently, she participated in Invitational 50 and the Small Works Off the Walls exhibitions, continuing a lifelong commitment to creative expression.
Yeomans regularly participated in community events such as the Edison Festival of Light parade. She also played on the local women’s tennis league.
After her husband’s sudden passing in 1985 at the age of 55, Yeomans enrolled at Edison Community Collegem (now Florida SouthWestern State College) to pursue printmaking. She became active with the arts organization Art House and supported numerous artistic institutions throughout the Fort Myers area.
She was one of the sponsors for the Yoko Ono “Imagine Peace” exhibition at the Rauschenberg Gallery. Most recently, she donated artwork to the Lee County Cancer Institute’s 2026 annual fundraiser.
She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Jean Hawker, and brothers Iain and Norman. She is survived by her son Adam (Lorraine), and daughters Jane (Alex) and Erika (Vitaly). She also is survived by five grandchildren and a great-grandson.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.
