Bio

Finance Professional & CPA turned Artist, I began painting through an unconventional path. During a family trip, I took a class at Disney’s Animator Studio and connected back to my early love of drawing and creativity. I drew for a few years after, refining my portrait style. Moving into painting led to my true passion.  I disappear into my paintings while creating and infuse that tranquil feeling into each of my pieces, creating an escape for the viewer.  

I have been accepted into numerous juried shows and my work is currently on display at Eight Legs Gallery in Waxhaw, NC.

I live in Charlotte with husband, Rob. We have two nearly grown children, 2 fur babies and 1 geriatric cockatiel (seriously, he’s 28).

 Statement

I’m inspired primarily by nature and the ocean.  

I have a passion for plants & flowers – I love to examine the patterns of the petals that make up the bloom. I try to see those patterns in a different way, interesting angles or points of view to create a different viewing experience.

Aside from flowers, I’m often inspired by coastal landscapes, from water to marshes. I love to capture how light reflects on and through water and how light changes the view and colors throughout the day.   I love exploring the nuances of shades created from light or angles and how those shades are blended together into a complete picture.  

Creating gives me a serene, peaceful feeling which I hope to share with others.  

www.annjtravisart.com

What continues to motivate you to create your work?

Painting is an escape from daily work and the fast pace of life. It’s a retreat from the Type-A side of my brain; it calms my mind and creates serenity. I also love when my art makes someone happy. Knowing it is going to a good home where it will make someone smile when they walk past inspires me to keep creating.  

Who or what influences your practice?

I’m inspired by the infinite patterns and colors of nature. While I draw much inspiration from the ocean and marsh scenes, I find myself continually drawn to botanicals.

I portray my florals in a distinctive way, enticing the viewer to consider a particular angle or specific detail. My color choices are inspired by nature and draw from the changing light of day, with the color shifts and the moods it creates as the foundations. I love exploring all the nuances of shades to create textures and depth.

How would you describe the mood of your work?

My paintings are about capturing a feeling. Creating gives me a serene, peaceful mood and evoking that same sense of serenity for the viewer is the primary goal.

What do you feel is the most challenging part of being an artist?

When life is at a really stressful point, sometimes it’s hard to shift to that creative space. It’s kind of like starting a long car trip, where the first hour or two you’re antsy and every minute seems twice as long. But then at some point you zone out and the hours just go by. Once you get into the “zone,” you don’t even notice the time passing and you can paint for hours as it just pours out of you.

Tell us about something from your creative life that you are particularly proud of.

I’m completely self-taught. I loved drawing and creating as a child, but by the time I got to college, I focused on what I imagined would land me a “real” job and studied accounting. While on a family trip to Hollywood Studios, I took a class at Animator’s Studio. By then, I had two kids and was juggling the Mom Life and a stressful job in the Corporate World, but this class reignited that love of creating. I drew for a few years, but then switched to painting where I’ve found my true passion.