Today we’d like to introduce you to Anne Blair Brown.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born in North Kingstown, Rhode Island and raised in Nashville, Tennessee where I currently live. I attended St. Henry’s for grade school and moved on to Harpeth hall for middle and high school. After high school, I landed at the University of Georgia where I was lucky enough to learn foundational elements of art that are reflected in my work today.
After college, I was not quite sure how to pursue a career in art, so I ended up working with my mother in her catering business and then working as a chef at various gourmet restaurants. I became weary of smelling like onions all the time, so I started painting again and putting myself “out there”. Local school shows led to gallery representation, which led to internet exposure. I focused on developing my own style which helped me gain recognition and set me on a path to becoming a working painter. At an early point on this journey, I started teaching which helped me gain confidence and more connection with my process, and the rest is history.
In 2018, my husband and I purchased a beautiful property in Santa Fe, TN, which we named Bluebird Hill Retreat. We restored the 1880’s farmhouse and barn, transforming the property into a “playground” and retreat for artists and art instructors. We teach workshops there in the warmer months.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
During COVID, I was faced with the cancellation of in-person painting workshops, which are a big part of my livelihood. I pivoted to online teaching. Dancers and musicians were performing online, surely, I could figure it out. It took a lot of work and a lot of experimentation to put together a class structure and itinerary that would give my students the personal attention they needed. I pulled it off, and in doing so, I was able to identify and streamline my own painting process, discovering along the way some valuable lessons that I use in my in-person workshops too. The online workshops are still well received and a joy to teach. I also continue to teach in-person workshops at our aforementioned Bluebird Hill Retreat in Santa Fe, TN.
Other challenges would include the ever-present stream of inevitable rejections, “failed” paintings, and general insecurity I think so many artists face. Don’t get me wrong, I also experience receiving awards, making successful paintings, and confidence at the easel. It is just a matter on focusing on the positive and learning from mistakes and disappointments. If it was easy, it would not be any fun!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My current artwork centers on intimate scenes inspired by local surroundings as well as travel in the US and abroad. My style of painting starts in reality and evolves through my imagination. As an impressionist, I believe in a painting process that enables me to tap into my creativity rather than trying to copy and perfect. My goal is to invite you, the viewer, to connect to the painting such that you personalize the experience and use your own imagination to complete the story.
My paintings are spontaneously painted and purposefully imperfect. I focus on large shapes, textured brushwork, and balanced but lively color. I am more concerned with painting a feeling rather than focusing on perfect drawing skills. Having said that, there is a lot of discipline that goes on behind the scenes. Whether in my studio or painting en plein air, I employ the principles of art that I teach to my students. I set myself up for success at the beginning by planning the composition, sketching, and understanding the range of darks and lights. Once that is done, I can “play” with color and brushwork.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My artistic path started when I was a child. I would sit in my driveway for hours on end, creating little log home towns with sticks. I was always drawing or sitting in creeks making mud sculptures. Anything I could make with my hands was exciting to me, no matter how dirty I got!
Contact Info:
- Website: anneblairbrown.com and bluebirdhillretreat.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ablairbrownstudio
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/anne.b.brown.9 and www.instagram.com/bluebirdhillretreat
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@anneblairbrown7253
- Other: https://vimeo.com/user84185464
