About

My work is inspired by the relationship between humans and nature. I look for places where we are coexisting and improving one another. I celebrate the way we care for the land and the way it cares for us. This is something easily found in rural and agricultural areas, but it is also a vital part of city centers—observed in urban parks and peering down from rooftop gardens.

In seeking out these spaces, I am particularly drawn to areas that carry a strong cultural identity. The wild and haunted coastal South, the bejeweled greens and blues of the Appalachian Mountains, and storied urban green spaces are a few of my favorite places to revisit and rediscover. In a world that is becoming increasingly connected and homogenized, I enjoy finding the differences that gives each place its distinct character. When I visit somewhere new, I ask: what features are iconic to this place? What can I include in my work to symbolize the lives of these people?

BIO

I am a painter and a mother of three, and I live on a small historic farm near Charlottesville, Virginia. I grew up in the Shenandoah Valley and have long been drawn to the beautiful landscapes of the area. I studied painting at James Madison University and have since split my time between creating visual art and educating children—most recently by homeschooling my own. Painting and mothering have become increasingly intertwined for me as our studies have taken us deep into the wild edges of our own property as well as across many miles of interstate highway as our lessons push us further and further across the country. Experiencing both the novel and the familiar through younger eyes than my own has been a steady source of inspiration for me, and creating paintings from photographs taken during these times has been a meaningful way to catalog our joint experiences during this fleeting period of time.

Please direct all inquiries regarding commissions, available work, or gallery exhibitions to info@annabryantpainting.com. Thank you!