Daily Inspiration: Meet Anne Kullaf

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anne Kullaf.

Hi Anne, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Drawing and painting have always been my favorite things to do. I was never going to be anything other than an artist! My earliest memories are of drawing and coloring with colored pencils, crayons, watercolor sets, and even oil paints when I got to be a little older. Drawing has always come naturally to me, I just look at the subject and make the shapes on paper, it’s actually a very meditative yet invigorating experience for me to create art.

I studied both graphic design and fine art in college, along with a concentration in art history. I love looking at art all sorts, and by studying art history, it opened up all the possibilities of ways to be expressive. As a child and even as a teenager, I would look at something and try to make it look just like it looked in real life. Over time, that migrated to using the subject as a departure point and then simply trying to capture the essence of it with as few strokes as possible. My work these days is very gesturally precise–it isn’t realistic in the sense of photorealism, but it is based on accurate drawing in terms of perspective, proportion, and values, and it always has balanced color harmony and composition. I like to think of it as a 50-50 mix of abstraction and realism. I am happy with how my work has evolved, and I discover new things all the time, I think it is important to keep growing creatively in order to keep the work looking fresh.

I have been financially supporting myself fully as a professional artist for over 25 years. Creating the work is the easy part, marketing, staying within budget, and keeping a stream of work flowing is where the challenge lies. I’ve lived most of my life on the East Coast, most recently in Philadelphia where I primarily painted and exhibited urban landscapes. I also spent a lot of time painting and exhibiting in New York City where I was fortunate to have been selected as a Painter-in-Residence at Bryant Park and as a participant in the Metropolitan Museum’s Copyist Program.

Now that I am living in Colorado, I have found inspiration in the western landscape and a strong market for my large-scale landscapes. I also enjoy teaching and have had wonderful opportunities teaching at venues such as the Princeton University Art Museum, Edward Hopper House, and in France and Italy where I have conducted plein air painting workshops.

So all in all, I have had a very colorful career and I look forward to continuing this chapter of it painting the Rocky Mountains and beyond, perhaps expanding all way to the west coast in the near future.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have found that focusing on a hyper-local niche market is the best way to connect with collectors and ensure my success as a fine artist. I create large-scale original oil paintings of the Western landscape designed to hang in contemporary mountain homes. My clients commission me to paint some of their favorite places–I’ll even travel out of state (or out of the country) if they have it in the budget for me to do so.,

I approach each project as a collaboration. I want the paintings to bring them joy every time they look at them, so I take special care to understand what they are looking for at the start of the project. I ask questions like “why is the place you want me to paint special to you?” and “what colors appeal to you?” and “where will this painting hang in your home?” Their answers allow me to create something that is visually inspiring to them, something they can see every day and find something new each time they look at it.

While other artists may find collaboration limiting to their creativity, I actually love the challenge of capturing the mood and sensibilities my client’s desires. I put a lot of energy and expression into my work, and clients who hire me know that they are going to get a highly expressive, richly textured end result that is unique and fresh. They know that their role is to provide me with the information I need to capture their vision, once they’ve done that, it is my role to bring that vision to life on canvas.

I also choose to work with clients who truly understand the creative process and who trust that I will use my artistic skills to translate the visual message they want to convey. I’m not afraid to walk away from a project if I don’t think it is the right fit for me or if a client seems like they wish to dictate every stroke I put on the canvas. A commissioned painting is a collaboration, the artist and client have to be able to work together seamlessly allowing one another to fulfill their roles in the process, otherwise neither’s vision can be fully realized.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As an artist, I take pride in the fact that I use only the highest quality materials and produce paintings that can be handed down from one generation to the next. They truly are heritage paintings that become part of the client’s legacy. My paintings are bold and expressive, filled with color and texture and capture the essence of the subject, rather than simply recording what is there.

I stand behind my work 100% and would never present anything other than my best to a client.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love exploring urban neighborhoods, having lived in Philadelphia, I sometimes miss the “grit” of the East Coast cities. I feel like I am still getting to know Denver and Boulder. I love the proximity to the mountains of course, the restaurants are great, but I still feel like a visitor, I’ve only lived here for 18 months!

Pricing:

• My paintings start at $550 for a small 8×10 oil painting
• Most commissions fall into a larger size category and therefore are in the $3,000 and up range

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kullaf.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kullaf/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Anne.Kullaf.Paintings
• Twitter: @akullaf