ABOUT THE ARTIST

Ann Breckon began watercolor study in 1982 as a break from tending her infant twins, but art in many other forms has always been an important part of her life. She spent hours sketching as a child, and benefitted from the influence of parents who involved the whole family in a variety of artistic activities, sometimes leaning towards turning the home into a ceramics shop.

Ann continued to sketch for many years in pencil and ink, but the watercolor classes were a revelation: "Being introduced to watercolors was thrilling, finally showing me how to pour color into the sketches I had done for so long."

Watercolors allow Ann to combine her passions for color and nature, painting bright and realistic florals that jump off the paper, intricate still lifes, moving portraits, animals, cityscapes, seascapes, intimate close-ups and wonderful landscapes.

Beginner Watercolor was the only class being taught at the local community college, so Ann continued being a "beginner" for more than two years.  Aside from those classes she has never studied formally. 
"I learn from every book I read, every painting I study, from my artist friends, at the demonstrations held at socity meetings, and from the great students in my classes.  Also, every painting I do has something new to teach me.  The adventure never ends."  Raised on the west coast, Ann is the mother of six children and holds a degree in cello performance from the University of Oregon. She has also lived in Washington D.C. and Omaha, Nebraska.

Ann decided to seriously focus on her art in the Fall of 1993. Her art was readily accepted into local galleries and she has participated in numerous solo and group shows. Her paintings have been displayed in the Frye Art Museum in Seattle, and have been included in numerous local and national exhibitions, winning several awards. She is currently a signature member of the Northwest Watercolor Society, holds membership in the National Watercolor Society, the American Watercolor Society, the Transparent Watercolor Society of America and  the Eastside Association of Fine Arts.  And also juried into the Women Painters of Washington where she served two years as president. A popular and experienced teacher, she offers regular classes, workshops and demonstrations throughout the Seattle area. Her art is held in personal, corporate, and military collections.

"While appreciating many styles of art, I experience a strong personal fascination with the preciseness, clarity and technical ability shown in realistic art. I am also very sensitive to the impacts stress, ugliness, and violence have on our society today. My purpose in painting is to exhult in the best of the world's offerings, to capture a small amount of beauty and bring it into focus. Watercolors move with a mind of their own sometimes, providing an endless set of surprises and challenges, and a feeling of life as you work with them. The glowing results are exciting, and I love having an opportunity to share this with others."

Ann has researched watercolor pigments extensively and the colors of her palette have been selected to include only those tested at the top lightfastness rating (good for 200 years). To protect the integrity and life of the paintings, the watercolor paper and all papers used in framing are totally archival.