Barbara Tapp grew up in Australia and completed a Bachelor of Interior Design in Sydney. She married her childhood sweetheart, Richard, and took off to see the world in 1978. They stopped in San Francisco some 28 years ago, settled in Berkeley and raised three children.

Over the years Barbara has put her talent to work, illustrating the Karen Brown's Guides and building a thriving business as an architectural illustrator.

In her spare time Barbara gardens, paints, designs theatre sets, collects vintage water colors and wooden jigsaw puzzles.