Art Archive Featured Artist: Ann Kullough

Meet the artist from the art archive. An artist of visually appealing still lifes and landscapes, Anne strives to illustrate more than meets the eye. Her dynamic style captivates viewers, making them look twice at ordinary scenes and objects.

This passion drives her work and in turn fuels her distinguished teaching career and popular social media accounts. From promoting her workshops at the last minute to showcasing her techniques, Ann masterfully shows how teaching and social media complement an art business strategy.

Believing selling work is just the beginning, she shares her social media marketing tips and what she teaches her students about how to be an artist outside of school.

Want to see more of Anna's work? Visit her.

Go inside (and outside) the artist's studio.

1. STILL LIFES AND LANDSCAPES ARE BASIC IN YOUR WORKS. WHAT INSPIRES YOU ABOUT THESE THEMES AND HOW DID YOU CAME TO FOCUS ON THEM?

I find visually interesting things that may not have visual meaning. I look at the world with an abstract view. I work the same regardless of the topic. Since I prefer to draw from life rather than from photographs, I often choose still life as my subject. I also use still life as a means of teaching my students the importance of direct observation (working from life) as a means of developing a trained eye.

I look at what I can get from each item, not just what it is. I want to create something that is nice to look at; something spontaneous, lively, which makes the eye move a lot. I want the viewer to look at it more than once. I want my work to show more than what it is.

I have been drawing since I was a child, studied art in college and have always looked at things purely from a visual standpoint. I'm looking for interesting shapes, lighting, and anything that makes me want to look at an object a second time. This is what I draw. They may not be unique or necessarily beautiful, but I try to show what I see in them that makes them unique to me.

2. YOU WORK IN VARIOUS MATERIALS (WATERCOLORS, MOUTH, ACRYLIC, OIL, ETC.), WHICH ALLOWS TO MAKE ART REALISTIC AND IMPRESSIONISTIC. WHAT TOOLS DO YOU LIKE TO USE AND WHY?

I like all environments for different applications and for different reasons. I love watercolor when it comes to expression. I like to get the subject right and then use color, texture and strokes to take it to the next level.

Watercolor is so unpredictable and so fluid. I like to look at it as a series of reactions as I record each stroke. Unlike most watercolorists, I don't draw my subject in pencil first. I move the paint around to create the images I want. I don’t use watercolor technique either, I paint with a brush - sometimes in a single tone, sometimes in color. It's about drawing the subject on paper, but at the same time paying attention to what the medium is doing.

How you apply paint to canvas or paper is just as important, if not more important, than the subject matter. I think the artist should start with great structure in terms of overall drawing and composition, but they need to bring more to the table and show the viewer how to perceive the object.

What makes something unique, what makes you want to look at it, is intangible. It's more about the gesture and the moment rather than the small, minute details. This is the whole idea of ​​spontaneity, light and vibration that I want to infuse into my work.

3. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR METHODS AS AN ARTIST? DO YOU PREFER TO WORK IN THE STUDIO OR BE OUTSIDE?

I prefer to always work from life whenever possible. If I'm inside, I'll put on a still life. I absolutely draw still lifes from life, because you see more. This is more difficult and trains the eye to see what you are looking at. The more you draw from life, the more depth you will achieve and become a better draftsman.

I like to work on site whenever possible because I enjoy working outdoors. If I'm indoors, I usually sketch my piece based on research done on site, combined with some very quick photographs. But I rely more on research than photographs - photographs are just a starting point. They are flat and there is no point in being there. I can't be there when I'm working on a big piece, but I sketch in my sketchbook - I love watercolor sketches - and take them to my studio.

Drawing from life is very important, especially for those who are just starting to draw. If you draw for a long time, you have enough experience to take a photo and turn it into something more. A novice artist goes for a copy. I do not approve of working with photographs and I think that artists should remove the word "copy" from their vocabulary. Photos are just a starting point.

4. WHAT MEMORABLE ANSWERS HAVE YOU HAVE YOUR WORK?

I often hear people say, "Wow, this is so alive, so bright, it has real energy." People say about my cityscapes, "I could walk right into the picture." Such answers make me very happy. This is really what I want to say with my work.

The plots are very alive and full of energy - the viewer should want to explore them. I don't want my work to look static, I don't want it to look like a photograph. I want to hear that there is "so much movement" in it. If you move away from it, it forms an image. If you look closely, it is a mixture of colors. When you have the values ​​and color in the right places, that's where the magic happens. That's what painting is.

You will need to prepare a notepad and pencil for these smart art tips (or bookmark buttons).

5. YOU HAVE A GREAT BLOG, OVER 1,000 INSTAGRAM SUBSCRIBERS AND OVER 3,500 FACEBOOK FANS. WHAT INFLUENCES YOUR POSTS EVERY WEEK AND HOW HAS SOCIAL MEDIA HELPED YOUR ART BUSINESS?

I don't separate my teaching from my art business. I look at it as an integral part of what I do. I get part of my income from courses and master classes, the other part from paintings. This combination makes up my art business. I use social media to raise awareness of my work, introduce people to it, and reach out to potential students.

When I need one or two more people to complete my workshops, I post on Facebook. I usually get people involved because I post about the subjects taught in the class. I also have people who are potential collectors who come to shows, so I target my posts to my region and people come. It attracts people I don't know to show in my area and definitely helps to raise awareness of my work.

I have so many social media posts because every time I do a demo, I post it. It gives other artists and future students an idea of ​​what I teach, how I approach subjects, and how much work it takes to become a master.

Many beginners can't wait to get to the level where they know what they're doing. They ask when they will be ready for the exhibition in the gallery. It takes a lot of time and constant effort to create a body of work before considering gallery exhibitions. I appreciate how much work and effort it really takes.

I also post content that is educational for other artists who are trying to take it to the next level. This points them in the right direction and awakens their interest in working with me in a future class.

I keep my blog posts authentic and positive - that's really important to me. There are many things that are not important for beginner artists, so I want to provide these artists with the basics.

6. YOU ARE A TEACHER OF THE NEW JERSEY FINE ARTS CENTER, THE HUNTERDON ART MUSEUM, AND THE CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS. HOW DOES THIS FITS YOUR ART BUSINESS?

I always do demonstrations and consider teaching as part of my art business. Some of my best drawings are from demonstrations when I teach students.

I love to demonstrate. I am interested in providing learners with skill sets that they can use on their own. You get more out of classes when the focus is on learning rather than individual time in the studio.

I use my own work as examples. I take students on a trip with me. I start every lesson with a demonstration. I always have a concept that I highlight in a demo, such as complementary colors, perspective, or composition.

I also do a lot of plein air workshops, so I combine the workshop with a few days of painting. This summer I am teaching pastels and watercolors in Aspen. I will use the research when I return for larger projects.

I can talk and draw at the same time, it really doesn't confuse me. I think some people have problems with this. It is important that your demo makes sense. Talk about it and keep it in your mind to stay focused. Make sure this is a very important point in what you are doing. Obviously, if I'm working on a commission, I won't be doing it in class. I did some of the big pieces in class and made small pieces for sale. If you are going to teach, you must be able to do so. Students who study art are visual learners.

7. WHAT IS YOUR PHILOSOPHY AS A TEACHER AND LESSON NUMBER ONE DO YOU WANT YOUR STUDENTS TO MEMORIZE?

Be authentic. Don't try to be anyone other than yourself. If you have something that is strong, make the most of it. If there are areas where you are weak, address them. Sign up for a drawing class or color mixing workshop. Recognize the fact that you need to fight your weaknesses and do the best you can with them.

Stay true to what excites you. I love to draw and I love abstract painting, but I don't see myself ever becoming a pure abstract artist because I love to draw too much. This is an important part for me as an artist.

Don't decide what you'll draw more realistically to increase sales if that's not what you want. Draw what drives you and excites you the most. Anything less than this is not your best work.

Work on your weaknesses and build on your strengths. Go after what you really care about and succeed in it. Don't change to please the market because you can never please everyone. That's why I don't do many orders. I don't want to draw a picture of another person and put my name on it. If you're not interested in drawing something, don't do it. Better to walk away from him than risk ruining your reputation as an artist.

Interested in learning more from Ann Kullaf? .