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Artist Statement The shapes, colors, and textures that abound in nature inspire the colorful abstract and impressionistic images I paint. Bold colors are the hallmark of my work. I usually start a painting with a color idea, building the imagery intuitively as I apply color, shape, texture, and in some cases, multimedia objects. My goal in creating a piece of art is to grab and hold the viewer’s eye, drawing the person deeper into the painting to discover the myriad treasures there. I want people to feel compelled to look at my paintings for a long time. I’m always fascinated when viewers tell me what they see in my abstract work. I paint primarily in acrylic and watercolor because their fast-drying properties let me work quickly in multiple, transparent layers. I am currently painting a series of very large abstract works (up to 5’ x 5’) in acrylic on canvas. Annette’s motto: Never give up your dream. Work hard to achieve it. Annette Ragone Hall
My painting method: I create paintings in a variety of ways. For the majority of my work, I decide on a general color theme and subject matter and then begin painting spontaneously from my imagination. For my portraits, I take a large number of photographs of my subject using a digital camera. I may also do some studies from life. I then create my composition on the computer using Photoshop and print it out on a large-format inkjet printer. Using this large printout as reference, I draw the image on paper, working out any changes to the composition that I feel are necessary. I transfer the final composition to my painting support and begin painting. Sometimes I dispense with the computer stage and paint using the photos as general reference.
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Biography Annette was born in Brooklyn, NY, and grew up in Roanoke, VA. Her desire to create art began very early and was inspired by her mother. When Annette was six, her mother drew her a quick sketch of a woman’s face and revealed a talent that Annette had not seen before. Annette was so taken by this drawing that she decided she would learn to draw and work as an artist when she grew up. She married young, at age 19, and as a young wife and mother, worked her way through college, and with the help of a scholarship, graduated with a B.A. in Art. For ten years afterward, she honed her painting skills primarily using watercolor. After Annette, her husband, and their young daughter moved from Roanoke to the Puget Sound area in Washington State, the grandeur of the water and rugged mountains helped her creativity and imagination expand even further. It inspired her to create the colorful, bold abstracts and impressionistic paintings that now define her style. She continued her art education, participating in workshops taught by nationally known artists. She began using acrylics in 2003; their versatility took her art to a new level. She started creating imaginative, large-scale works and also experimented with mixed-media works using acrylic, glass, and other elements. Working full time in a non-fine-art-related career, over the years she was still able to build an impressive body of work. Her work was largely unseen by collectors, but she persevered in creating a substantial inventory of unique works and sold a number of pieces. In early 2007, Annette and her husband moved to North Carolina to return to the land of warmth and sun, and so she could fulfill the dream she had at the age of six to create art full time. She now works out of her studio at Rail Walk Studios & Gallery in Salisbury, NC, in an emerging downtown arts district. Her art is in two galleries in North Carolina and in the museum store at the Waterworks Visual Arts Center in Salisbury, NC. Her piece, Circle in the Square, was in the 2011 State of the Art/Art of the State exhibit at the Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, NC. Most recently, she won the 3rd place award in the 2011 Mooresville Artist Guild's 33rd Annual ArtFest for her piece, A Sip of Tea. In addition to her abstract and impressionistic works, Annette paints commissioned portraits in oil. She is fascinated by the human face and form and finds it very challenging to capture both the spirit and the likeness of her subject. Not long after she moved to North Carolina, two Salisbury firefighters were lost in a fire, in March 2008. She painted their portraits as a gift to the fire department. The 30"x 24" oil portraits were unveiled in March 2009 as part of the memorial services for the two fallen firefighters. Being a jewelry lover herself, Annette also has developed a line of hand-painted and limited-edition jewelry. |
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Bold & Colorful Art by Annette Ragone Hall |
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Biography & Artist Statement |
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© 2003—2012 Annette Ragone Hall. All rights reserved. Annette gives permission for non-commercial use on other web sites of the images that appear on this web site provided that the user gives her proper credit and sends her email asking for permission. Credit must include Annette’s name, the title of the image, and a link back to ragone.com. Annette reserves the right to demand that the user removes an image if she finds that the content on the user’s web site is objectionable to her. By virtue of using any of Annette’s images, the user agrees to these terms. |
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Home | Abstracts | Other Works | 6" x 6" Paintings | Fiesta Paintings | Galleries | Pricing | Art Jewelry | About the Artist | Links |
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CONTACT: Mailing Address: 413 N Lee St. Salisbury, NC 28144 704-798-9400 |
