“My aim is to create inspirational art that helps us all feel love and joy, see the bigger picture and the natural flow of life so that we all may dance in harmony together, be mindful of mother earth and each other, and know the Divine Oneness we truly are.”
"Annie b.'s loving nature shines through in her beautiful artwork. Even on the rainiest of days, with an Annie b. painting on your wall, it will feel like the sun is shining in your home". A. Butler
"Annie b's art is an absolute pleasure to have around my home because it's beauty and heartfelt positive energy really shine through - it never fails to make me smile. I will always be one of your biggest fans!" Big love xxx Maurita
"Art that makes my heart sing" xx Antheaxx
Welcome! I am Annie b, an inspirational artist living in Cornwall with my husband
and son, painting art from the heart.
Thank you for visiting my site, do drop by again, and please subscribe
and join me on Facebook and Instragram for my latest news, new art
and special offers. It will be great to connect with you there!
Spiritual and inspirational art expression was something I first became aware of when I was
growing up in Yorkshire in a big family (and
one that didn’t always communicate, especially on an emotional level).
I always
loved to escape into my own inner world of magic and wonder by way of drawing
and painting, which I believe I began at a very young age.
I have very happy memories of me and my sisters proudly holding art
exhibitions in our sunny yellow playroom, encouraged by my step Uncle
Terry.
At this young age, everything is possible without judgement, and we are free
to play and create.
After school in West Yorkshire I went on to
attend Wakefield College of Art doing a graphic design diploma which I
loved - although it wasn’t my first choice and definitely not the free flowing
creative fine art course, of just being able to paint and create.
But skills were learned on layout and type fonts, skills that I still use
today, so now I realise it was all part of my journey to professional inspirational artist
and illustrator.
My life journey then took me up to London,
to Ealing College of Art, to study visual communication. However the
college and the content of the course failed to inspire me, and compared to my
previous college the lectures were slow and not half as interesting as the
music and culture of thriving London
in the 90’s!
It was then I left college and side tracked into successful careers in advertising,
the music business and television, working all around the world.
However successful though, city life was not for me, despite my love of the
music and culture, but there was simply not enough nature - and the city starry
skies were dimmed by the pollution.
However my journey of who I am really did begin in London, not at the art
college, but inspired by the music and the bands I used to go see, especially
one band called ‘Southern Death Cult’ and their lead man, Ian Astbury who
really connected me with my Native American origins.
As I watched him sing in his native breast plate and feathers, something
stirred inside....I recognised the ceremony, and the warrior in myself and the deep
relationship I had with the earth and the native respect for the animals who
walk upon her nurturing face.
I longed to go to the reservations and experience this beautiful culture for
myself, so that is what I did, setting out on a world trip.
As part of my world
trip I spent time on the Hopi and Navaho reservations and had some
incredible experiences as I was allowed to be witness to the sacred dance for
rain by the Hopi’s, and talk to their ancient people.
My journey to becoming an inspirational artist also took me to the Buddhists of Sri Lanka and India (which inspired my Buddha paintings) to Australia and to the Aborigine Elders, where I learned one night by the fire from a wise elder… “we have to find our own religion, who we really are…” which really opened me up to my own soul journey and spiritual practice, which I incorporate into my art today.
On my return to London,
I constantly felt the urge to escape the concrete city and travel the world
further, to see the starry skies, the curve of the earth and the tropical
plants and animals.
I yearned to discover more new cultures and landscapes their people and their spiritual practices so off I went to Asia and discovered the importance of meditation practice.
On returning to England
nearly a year later, I had my first ‘healing experience’ whilst on an
aromatherapy massage course.
As I massaged, heat and energy began to flow from
my hands and I felt the presence of other beings working with me.
To develop
this further, I joined a psychic circle ran by an amazing lady called Gwyneira
in West London, and also got a diploma in
spiritual healing and Reiki.
As my spiritual awareness grew my love of London dwindled. At every opportunity I left London on a quest… to visit the temples of Thailand and
the enormous golden Buddha’s.
Then on to Sri Lanka for more temples, meditation and inspiration.
Then back to my beautiful India where I felt a huge connection and visited
many times, and to a Tibetan Buddhist retreat in France.
London was
no longer for me as I yearned to live by the ocean… and closer to nature.
So in
1998 I gave up celebrity parties and the media world and moved to Cornwall,
which I felt strongly drawn to at this time, and now, was (and still is) very
much my spiritual home, as my inner voice called out for my creativity to be
re-awakened, and my soul to be amongst the beauty of mother earth.
How I became an inspirational artist in Cornwall.
Well, it was here I began painting again..in beautiful Cornwall with its rugged coves, wild aqua and
turquoise ocean and crashing waves. The smell of the seaweed, the cry of the
gulls, the open spaces and curve of the earth on the horizon..the wild winds
and the sideways trees, I loved it all.
“Allow nature to teach you stillness. Listen to her while she speaks to
us of the great stillness in which all wisdom is contained.” Eckart
Tolle.
Stillness Speaks. The need to be still, tune into my heart, my soul, the
real me.
The spiritual, creative me I had pushed down in London. As I walked along the beaches each
day allowing the wild winds to blow my hair, the sea salt to cleanse my soul,
for the first time I felt like I belonged.
I bought a golden retriever, Saffey, my earth angel, and trusted friend of
14 years.
Together we walked the coastal paths, swam in the wild ocean, played
in the long grasses and wild flowers on the cliff tops.
We watched the stars, made fires, connected with the earth and the animal
kingdom.
I learnt so much from my beautiful canine friend, of play, laughter,
but most of all unconditional love.
The deeper I travelled into this magical Celtic land of Kernow,
the more I tuned into its mystical, silent stone circles and Celtic myths and
legends, I knew I was home.
A place I could find who I really was and my true
purpose in life as an inspirational artist.
I joined a spiritual circle with the amazing Elisabeth Constantine and
really began to connect with my healing powers and angels.
I began to see the
world in such a magical way.. no longer as one dimension, but on many, many
levels and dimensions.
I felt a strong connection with the angels and native guides and animals that
began to visit my studio when I painted.
At first my paintings were small and
guarded but as I trusted the light beings around me, they encouraged me to express
what I felt and saw… Love, light, Oneness. A connection of all things… a
dance of life which from where I was looking included all sentient beings.
I began to write poetry to express this new love, this golden magical spiritual world I could now see.. Everything was alive!
Below this beautiful moonlit sky
Danced my true love And I
As we swirl And move to Mother Gaia's beat
Feel her rhythm Hear her tapping feet
Our hearts open Our spirits fly
A rainbow of light forms in the sky
All the elements come to play along As our friend the wind Softly sings his song
Dancing Tree Spirits, a celebration of love
Dancing Tree Spirits, blessed from the Divine above
annie b. 2003 (c)
My story to becoming an Inspiratonal Artist continues here.
Copyright: Annie b. Inspirational Artist and Illustrator