Beginning in 1980, Barrie was the Academic Director for the Johnson Atelier Technical Institute of Sculpture. In 1992, Barrie began working as Curator and Director of Grounds For Sculpture, a position she held until 2007. She developed the first inaugural outdoor exhibition at GFS, which contained 15 works, including sculptures by George Segal, William King, Muriel Castanis, Joel Shapiro, among others. For 15 years, working closely with founder Seward Johnson, Barrie not only oversaw the development of the park and it’s collection of artwork, but during that time she also curated significant indoor exhibitions by major artists, such as Magdalena Abakanowicz, Dale Chihuly, Isaac Witkin, Marisol, and many more.
Prior to her time at Grounds For Sculpture, Barrie earned her Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art from SUNY, Potsdam in 1977and a subsequent MFA in sculpture from Tulane Univeristy in 1979.