By drawing upon her main influences: the Arts and Craft & Art Nouveau Movements, as well as children's stories and illustrations, Ann Gee has found a way to create original paintings that are fresh as well as spellbinding to view. When it comes to her creative process, the artist likes to allow her paintings to develop organically. Fluid movement, intricate detail and strong narration are the principle elements she looks to recreate in her work. "I start with a loose idea of what I want to paint. Starting with a sketch of a pattern, a word or a face. Most of the image comes together once I begin to paint, developing from whatever is going on in my life; the time of year, the shape of a man hole, if I found a penny, etc. My paintings are an integration of reality and imagination. I strive to create a moment whithin my paintings where childhood and adulthood overlap and intermingle. These paintings express breakthroughs in my life and how I have learned to take life less seriously, slow down and to allow the kid and adult within me to play together." The artist works with gouache, casein, watercolors, acrylic ink and likes to limit her palette; usually using only 10-20 colors in each painting, as a means of focusing in on her love of color. The hand lettered words found in her work represents each figure's personality or attitude. "These mediums offer me the versatility to achieve flat, stylized designs and realistically rendered figures. Although my paintings are detailed, they are not precise because I do not use rulers or templates. I like the challenge of creating the images by hand and it serves to remind me that imperfections in life are common. My paintings are a cathartic journey for me. I always learn something new about my life or about the person I chose to paint. These paintings teach me to stay true to myself and to keep my eyes and ears open to the wonders unfolding around me everyday." AnnGee currently resides in Atlanta, GA. DON'T FORGET TO SMILE $400.00 STRUT $300.00 JAZZ $125.00