... Since art was not offered in grade school, Ann took private tutoring and once in high school, she took college classes. Aside from this “formal” training, most of Ann’s methods are self-taught with a strong focus on sculpture and pastel drawing. After moving to Tucson, Ann discovered her passion for clay.

While taking figure sculpture class, a ceramics instructor told her that sculptures (armatures and all) could be fired. This was not taught in Wisconsin; it was all throwing and 100 shades of brown! This discovery led to years of focus in clay, primary doing slab, coil and hand forming. Feeling that the garden is the perfect venue for art and color, Ann has been creating outdoor art for the last decade. What better way to get color in the desert than glazed clay? It beats watering flowers in 100 degree plus weather!
Got Balls Giclee line

After getting upset about the number of dogs in shelters not getting homes, I created this line of giclees with 10% of the proceeds going to spay/neuter facilities.
I paint a pastel painting on sanded paper, then have a giclee made matching the colors completely. The giclee is on watercolor paper. I keep the orginal, and the giclees are done in limited edition.

Jewelry

Ann has been making jewelry for the past fifteen years, but she comes by it with a history- she took 2 years of Jewelry for her degree in Studio Art from the University of Wisconsin- and did all fabrication of silver & turquoise. Jewelry peeked her interest again, with the variety and quality of stones available at the Gem show in Tucson. All of the stones in her work are precious & semi-precious, with pearls & Swarovski Crystals added for bling. Ann is also aware of the meaning of many stones, for example rose quartz is known for opening your heart to love & being a love protection stone. Pearls are known for purity & honesty, Labadorite for bringing magic into your life. We all feel like we could use a little more magic at times! Fine designer jewelry is an investment- and unlike a stock portfolio it is an investment that you can wear & enjoy, and you don’t have to pay the stockbroker a fee (even if he LOST you money) at the end of the year. Jewelry can be used for tradition in a family, it is often a designation of a milestone reached, (a birthday, graduation, a wedding, a special anniversary or Mother’s day) and will grow both in value & emotional significance, again unlike most investments that you make in your life. With silve & gold on the way up, there has never been a better time to invest in fine jewelry. Even though the silver prices have jumped 50% since Feb., Ann has not raised her prices & is still charging the lower silver & gold prices.

With designer jewelry, the sky is the limit sometimes in cost, but Ann wants the jewelry to go to great people, to make money for St. Luke’s, and move the energy. These are prices that will not be there when she has more gallery representation & the galleries start TELLING her what she has to charge for a necklace. Many of these prices are what you would pay for the stones alone at a retail store. All stones, pearls & findings are hand-picked or hand made by Ann herself. This isn’t jewelry made in a sweat shop in India, but jewelry blessed & lovingly made by Ann herself & designed by Ann personally. Ann also stands behind her work, and fixes any item that may break, whoever’s fault it is that it breaks. Very few items come into this realm, the jewelry is made to last wear & well, to be cherished for generations to come. Another wonderful fact about jewelry that it can be passed down with love from generation to generation, having memories, love & joy attached to it. Much more appreciated than a piece of paper that says you have a stock!
Enjoy, ask questions, and create a new tradition, a new heirloom.

All Souls Day Kittenz
In the South West, Day of the Dead Art is collected all year around. The idea of All Souls Day Kittenz came to me because many kittens die without even getting a name or being loved by a human. Yet they came to love and represent joy to share with us. My belief is that these brilliant souls put their lives on the line for humans to make the choice for love.

What I have found is that most people don’t know the vast number of kittens killed in shelters. It is estimated only 1 kitten in 12 that goes into a shelter makes it into a forever home. We can change that number! I believe headway can be made, because foster homes make a difference in these kitten’s lives.

I take extremely great care of my foster kittens. If they are adopted (I have 3 foster fails) I may never see them again. I wanted to remember all of them, the ones who died, and the ones who went out into the world to live happily in new homes. I felt the best way to do this, is to paint EACH FOSTER that I have cared for. They will all be remembered, not forgotten, these brave souls that come to have an incredible life. The fact that they existed needs to be remembered. This project raises awareness of kitten lives.

15% of the profits from these sales goes directly to supporting kitten rescues.

Our movement is Social Expressionism & I am painting each of the foster kittens that I have taken care of from shelters. Numbers vary, but 75% of the cats killed in shelters are kittens. Estimates are that only 1 shelter kitten makes it to a forever home.

One of a kind clothing that makes you part of the compassionate revolution for companion animals. Be purpose driven when you are out & about!
Reward yourself with wearable art that will have you looking good while doing good.

Kittens have souls. No matter how briefly they touch this earth they matter.