About Annie

I am a self-taught watercolorist who has been painting since the 1980's, specializing in local land and seascapes. I enjoy painting on-scene (pleine air), and trying to capture the beauty of Northern California's Sonoma County and coast. These land and seascape images are balanced with whimsical and fanciful paintings. I particularly enjoy trying to capture the "spark," sensuality, or sweetness of the local ever- changing scenes that I encounter.

I especially enjoy teaching and exposing students to the joy, fluidity, spontaneity, and surprise of watercolor. For the last several years I have specialized on a surface called YUPO which is astounding to paint on.............when the pigments are placed on the surface, they merge and repel each other and "float" freely. I use both opaque and translucent YUPO which glows like stained glass when in front of a light source !

In addition to YUPO, I experiment on other surfaces, such as canvas, sandpaper, deerskin, papyrus and various traditional and unique papers. I like to encourage free-wheeling experimentation and innovation with my students.

My "Wonders of Watercolor" classes range from private to group opportunities, mostly pleine air (weather permitting) and with a unique specialty..........Workshops for Guys ....this series is popular with men who may have had a less than satisfying experience as the only guy in a class of women, or who have never had access to art training.

My credibility as a teacher for the Guys Workshops is based on over 50 years of professional life with and in male dominated settings . I am a retired Fire Chief, Management Consultant, and Master Trainer, and experienced with the military, public works, motorcycle gangs and a broad range of Emergency Services agencies.

In 2012, my interest in teaching led me into a whole new and exciting world---that of Public Broadcasting! I created a new series of videos called "THE WONDERS OF WATERCOLOR" for KRCB, Channel 22 in Rohnert Park, Calif. My talented producer Seth Friesen and I completed 8 short films called "interstitials", designed to fit in between regular half-hour programs. As donor support arrived we finished the series which was released in 2014. The program is still being shown on approximately 300 PBS stations across the country ! You can view the videos on this website....click on "Annie on PBS" and enjoy.

As a member of numerous North Bay art associations, I frequently show my work at member shows, local art galleries, and other interesting venues. At present, I am honored to have two one-person-shows, plus shared shows in several galleries.

One of my goals is to make my art affordable, so I create note cards, matted reproductions, and small originals as well as my larger framed pieces.

I have received a number of awards for my work, and have developed an extensive following of collectors of my paintings. They tell me that my art makes them "feel happy," and that they respond to the color, freshness, exuberance, and sometimes whimsy of the paintings. Since "I like any color as long as it's purple!," my affection for purples, maroons and mauves is reflected in my work.

I can be reached at (707) 876-3211 to discuss my paintings, to arrange a painting outing (picnic included) in the lovely local Sonoma County land and seascapes, or to talk about a commissioned work. You will also find me several days a month staffing the beautiful Artisans' Co-op Gallery in Bodega, which features the wonderful art and craft of 55 local artisans! Check my 'Demos' page for exact dates, or call the Gallery at (707 876- 9830)

"Expose yourself to art" and join me in the wonders of watercolor ! Thank you and best wishes.....................annie 1/2017