Ann M

Lawtey

Ann Lawtey graduated from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston with a Bachelor of Fine Art in Painting and Printmaking. Throughout a varied career in business she continued her art studies at various well-regarded art institutes including Parsons New School for Design and Art Students League in New York City; Silvermine Guild Arts Center and Lyme Academy of Fine Arts in Connecticut; and DeCordova Museum in Massachusetts. After becoming a full-time artist, Ann was awarded two residencies at Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, VT. Ann draws her inspiration from a variety of subjects painting both from life and photographs, capturing people and places she sees and moments of special significance. Her paintings are primarily in oil though she sometimes uses water media to change things up; her printmaking medium is monotype, known as "The Painterly Print". With monotype Ann uses oil paint mixed with natural wax to create unique images that are painted on Plexiglas plates that are transferred to 100% rag or rice paper under pressure using an etching press. Having used various non-traditional tools creating Monotypes Ann continues their use when painting on canvas. Ann initially entered the gallery scene with figurative paintings, ballet dancers in practice and people in ordinary activities often showing tender aspects of life. She remains drawn to the figure’s versatility and emotional connections but also chooses to express herself exploring her surroundings following the advice Eugene Delacroix gave to his students – “Your subject is yourself, your impressions, your emotions in the presence of nature". The artist has been inspired by many historic and present day masters. Artists who especially influenced her through the years are German Expressionist Kathe Kollwitz who particularly influenced her monotypes; the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists who all provided a multitude of lessons; the importance of vectors and angles from Richard Diebenkorn and from contemporary painter Stuart Shils the balancing of abstraction and realism that she works toward in her compositions. While Ann's art is grounded in the representational tradition, she endeavors to blend it with an abstract quality to create expressive spaces that add thought provoking elements or mystery. Her artistic growth is a journey of continuous learning, an unending pursuit of alternative ways of thinking and seeing. She experiments with different mediums, brushwork, palettes and techniques stimulating the painting experience leading her to new plateaus.

Ann explores different ways to meet the challenges of each new painting as she shifts and probes varying content and approaches that which will stimulate the viewer’s senses. An important aspect of her art journey is keeping a curious mind and exploring a range of subjects allowing herself to pursue alternative ways of thinking and seeing to create her paintings.

Oil, Acrylic, Printmaking

www.annlawteyfineart

www.Ann Lawtey Fine Art

www.annlawtey