ANN WATCHER 

Oil Painter

“When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, energetic and faithful and you will accomplish your object.”– RalphWaldo Emerson

As an oil painter,Ann explores a wide range of subject matter, from marshes and beaches to boats and figures, believing that it is not the subject matter that defines her art but the expression of it, the play of light, active compositions, textures and bold color choices.Ann combines an Impressionistic sensibility with touches of abstraction. She develops the image through several stages, starting with a gestural, wet on wet approach, adding layers through techniques such as scumbling and glazing. Composition and mood inform her art with the goal of creating a visual experience for the viewer. Ann is curious about the endless possibilities of art that can be created from experiencing such things as the soft light at the end of the day or the way light defines a flower petal. 

Ann received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of South Carolina. While there, she earned an internship at the Corcoran Museum of Art in Washington, DC and also studied at the New York Studio School.

Over the last eightyears, Ann’s paintings have been included in numerous juried shows including American Impressionist Society, American Women Artists, and Art in Embassies, a division of the U.S. State Department. Ann’s paintings, including “Time for Apple Pie,” were in an exhibit on southern women artists at the residence of the U.S. Ambassador to Bahrain where she also taught workshops. Most recently, one of Ann’s paintings, “An Elegant Affair” was juried into “Making Their Mark,” an exhibition of works by American Women Artists” at the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, GA.  Ann’s paintings have been featured in the media including a commercial for the Levine Cancer Center and season three of the Showtime series, “Homeland.”  Duke University Medical Pavilion commissioned Ann to paint a scene for its cancer center. Ann’s art hangs in numerous private collections around the country. 

Ann’s professional memberships include Signature status with American Women Artists and the American Impressionist Society. Ann is an associate member of Oil Painters of America. 

Ann believes that her art is a journey and that anything can be made magical by the addition of brush strokes, color and light!