Barbara Mayfield is a multi-disciplinary creative writer, visual artist, and actor. In her work as a teaching artist she offers courses and workshops in Memoir Writing, Travel Journaling, Improvisational Storytelling, and Puppetry Arts.

She is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and has trained extensively in creative writing, improv comedy, improvisational storytelling, voice, movement and acting. She is a SAG-AFTRA actor and professional puppeteer.

Mayfield has brought the power of the arts to diverse cultural populations in Philadelphia and in northern New Mexico. She has worked with intergenerational community groups, newly literate adults, teens in juvenile detention centers, adults in rehab, and women in prison.

Barbara was born and raised in Philadelphia. In 1991, she moved to northern New Mexico, where she lived and worked for 21 years. She is currently based in the Philadelphia area, just 8 miles from the Liberty Bell.

I’m downright passionate about the power and importance of storytelling. We humans are wired to tell and listen to stories - spoken, written, witnessed and performed. Storytelling is upstream from everything and is crucial to our happiness and well-being. Who has better stories than those among us who’ve been around the longest? In our society, it seems elders are often isolated and made invisible, so I’m glad to be working with grown-ups to get their stories into formats that can be read, heard and/or seen. It’s an honor.