“The Winner Takes It All” Oil painting, 30×22. Photo copyrighted 2019 by Ane Howard Art Gallery”
Ane Howard, an abstract figurative painter based in the Bay area in California is my artistic discovery of the year.
Ane Howard’s, The Diver Collection, offers something more to oil painting. Consisting of beautifully told stories in each canvas, each painting feels well put together, including various elements that create the perfect balance. These elements work seamlessly together in a way that pushes viewers to get lost into every aspect of the painting.
Each piece possesses a kind of movement that draws the viewer’s eye into the painting. In some paintings, I can feel myself getting wrapped in the story being told. For instance, Howard successfully creates movement with the water, as well as, the diver in Dive in This Water. This particular piece gives you the ability to almost feel where the diver and the water meet.
Color is a strong element throughout this collection as well. Blue is a staple in the collection, often representing the sky and water. This same creative decision is made throughout Howard’s other collections such as Seascape. However, in the instance of The Diver collection, there are other color choices that I particularly enjoy. Colors such as orange and red are powerful and help separate the subject from its background. Interestingly enough, I feel as though there is equal attention given to the background and the main subject matter such as the diver in these pieces.
The Western and Wildlife Art collection also encompasses movement and the use of blue. However, it offers more natural colors such as brown and green that makes this collection feel more rooted in nature. The animals used throughout the collection such as the birds, horses, and deer all feel graceful and calm, giving viewers this sense of peace. The use of brush strokes in these paintings is impeccable, giving viewers a sense of touch. In comparing the Western and Wildlife collection to The Diver collection, I can see similarities in how Howard chooses to approach her oil paintings.
The Diver Collection, along with Howard’s other collections all have this recurring theme of a calm and weightless feeling. The brush strokes, colors, and subject matter all tie in together beautifully. The Diver Collection alludes to a nice summer day and in some ways, makes viewers feel nostalgic. As far as Oil Paintings go, Howard has honed the ability to incorporate and give attention to, various design elements and put it together for the viewer to, themselves dive into.
For those on a budget who are interested in one of Howard’s oil paintings, each painting is also available as a Giclee art print, and she accepts commissions. Go over to Ane Howard Art Gallery to view her portfolio.
