Annie Strack Art

Annie Strack

2007-06-21T06:45:00.000-07:00

The recipient of hundreds of awards, Annie Strack is internationally renowned as a contemporary master of marine painting.

Now you can paint along with this popular workshop instructor right in your own home by ordering "Painting Seascapes in Watercolor." A complete watercolor painting workshop with Annie Strack on a one-hour DVD!

We are now scheduling painting and marketing workshops for the upcoming year. Send us an email to recieve the complete descriptions and prices for scheduling an event in your area.

She is a popular juror for art competitions, and she is a much sought after demonstrator and lecturer for artist organizations, civic groups, and schools.

Individual artists can now sign up for weekly painting classes in our studio in Southeast Pennsylvania!

Can't come to our studio classes or workshops in person? Then sign up for Annie Strack's online classes at Artists Network University!

Also, read her latest instructional articles about art business and marketing in Professional Artist Magazine, the premier national business magazine for visual artists. Don't miss another issue, subscribe today!

Annie Strack Videos

2007-06-20T14:01:00.000-07:00

Annie Strack's celebrated show Painting Seascapes in Watercolor is broadcast on television stations around the country -- Now you can order your own DVD of the popular show that viewers are raving about!

Painting Seascapes in Watercolor - a complete watercolor workshop on DVD with award winning maritime artist Annie Strack

Paint along with this popular workshop instructor as you learn how to:

Paint reflections & shadows

Depict movement in water

Paint wet-on-wet & dry brush

Paint washes & glazes

Use masking fluid & lift color

Design good composition

Use colors & values effectively

Letters from viewers

Hi Annie,
I enjoyed meeting you and purchasing your DVD. The DVD was great! I got to learn a few more things to help me to paint with watercolors. The DVD also refreshed my memory on some things I have learned and haven't been using. Thanks so much. Hope to see you at your next workshop,
Brenda L.

Annie, I love the video "The Red Dinghy." Got lots of good tips! Let me know if you do another!
Love, Maurine G.

Hi Annie,Love this video clip of you new DVD of How to Paint Seascapes in Watercolor! It looks like you have made it easy to follow/paint along and learn some great watercolor techniques. Seeing how you did the clouds and sky was very cool.~Deborah B.

WOW! I LOVE your DVD! I'm having a great time learning the technique. At first I procrastinated because I was afriad that I couldn't do it, but once I got started, I am really enjoying it. I'm so excited - you make it so easy that I forget that I never did this style before! Thanks, Nancy Nuce

Sponsored in part by a grant from the Louisiana Cultural Economy Foundation

Abstract Gallery

2007-05-01T13:07:00.000-07:00

When I'm working on my seascapes and maritime paintings, I always work on an abstract painting at the same time. I often need to release more creativity than I can fit into a detailed seascape or a customed ordered boat portrait, so when I get a sudden urge to combine colors or shapes that I can't place in my painting, I release those emotions onto these abstract paintings.

"Roads Within" 7"x10", matt 16x20" $75

"Spring Vortex" 9x12", matt 16x20" $125

Untitled 1. 9x11"

Untitled 2. 9x11"

untitled 3. 9x11"

"Map of Light" 9x12", matt 16x20" $85

"Blue Journey" 9x12", 16x20" matt, $85

"Circle of Extermination" 7x10", 16x20" mat, $65

"Degrees of Separation" 7x10", 16x20" mat, $75

"Dancing Dustmites" 9x12", 16x20 mat, $95

"Coffee ot Tea" 12"x16" $195

"Tuesday Questions" 12"x16" $195

"Houseguest" 12"x16" $195

"She's Gone" 18"x24" $400

Untitled 14"x20" $295

About Annie Strack

2006-09-29T16:39:00.000-07:00

(Annie painting in a gallery)

A native of Naples, Florida, Annie Strack is a classically trained professional artist whose formal art school training incuded advanced studies of multiple artistic mediums. Her experiences of living in pristine coastal communities and her extensive travels in Asia, the Carribean, and the Pacific provide her with a ceaseless supply of inspiration for her nautical paintings and seascapes. Although she is best known for her reputation as a Contemporary Master of maritime painting, she is also an experienced expert is many other mediums, subjects, and styles.

(Annie in the Virgin Islands)

Her work has been exhibited in museums and galleries through out the country, and in a multitude of national and international juried shows. Her artwork has won hundreds of prestigious awards, and she has been featured in 20 solo shows. She is a popular workshop instructor, expert exhibit curator, and highly admired art show juror.

(Filming for television)

An accomplished professional writer, she is the author of The Artists Guide to Business and Marketing, and since 2005 she's been a feature writer and contributing editor for Professional Artist Magazine, the premier national business magazine for visual artists. She's the host of the television program Painting Seascapes in Watercolor, which is broadcast on over 80 televisions stations worldwide and is also available on DVD.

(Annie autographing posters for fans)

She's been published in over a hundred newspapers and magazines, including Watercolor Magazine, The Crafts Report, The Artists Magazine, Wooden Boat International, Country Roads, Gallery Insider, House & Home, Gulf Coast Arts & Entertainment Review, Covington Magazine, Louisiana Homes & Gardens, Louisiana Life, and many more. Her art has been featured on the covers of Art Calendar Magazine, Northlake News Magazine, Inside Northside Magazine, and Harmon Homes Magazine.

(on Coronado Island)

Strack has earned the prestigious honor of Signature Membership in five national and international artist societies, and she has been awarded the title of Official Authorized Artist for the US Coast Guard.

(in South Dakota)

Her paintings, prints, and posters are in over a thousand public, corporate, and private collections worldwide, including: US Coast Guard, US Navy, US Senate, US Pentagon, VA Retirement Home, Fredonia Museum of Art, Zigler Museum of Art, Lake Pontchartrain Maritime Museum, Jefferson Parish Courthouse, St. Tammany Public Art Collection, San Benito Public Art Collection, World Trade Center of New Orleans, Merrill Lynch, Kildare Marine, Biloxi Sun-Herald, Transwestern Commercial Services, International Matex, Marsh USA, and many more.

(beachcombing on Guam)

Annie Strack Articles and Press

2006-05-01T17:08:00.000-07:00

Annie Strack has been featured in numerous newspaper and magazines. Click here to read "Nautical Notions: An Artist Inspired By The Sea" a recent profile article published about her in the Louisiana Homes and Garden Magazine.

Click here to read "Tug of the Tides -- Artist Annie Strack," a well written article in Inside Northside Magazine, which also featured her award winning artwork on the cover of the publication.

Click here to read "Annie Strack -- This Lacombe-based Artist has her Eye on the Future." A new feature article in Louisiana Life magazine written by John Kemp.

All across the country from California to Florida, numerous newspapers have profiled the amazing talents of Annie Strack. Click on the image to read "Water Scenes Give Artist Sense of Orgin," the lastest profile feature written by Kathleen Deshotel for the Times-Picayune.

To read more articles written about Annie Strack, click on any image below:

A professional writer as well as an artist, since 2005 Strack has been a contributing editor and writer and has written dozens of informative articles for Professional Artist Magazine (formerly Art Calendar Magazine), the premier national business magazine for professional visual artists. She also freelances for many other publications, including The Crafts Report Magazine. Click on a title below to read the article...

"Developing a Formula for Pricing your Artwork"
"12 Tips for Retail Craft Sales"
"Creating a Marketing Plan"
"Creating a Niche Market for your Art"
"Judge and Jury: What to Expect When Entering Art Shows"

"Develop Your Personal Plan for Art Career Success"

"How to Sell Custom Ordered Artwork"

"The Business of Cartoon Art"

"The Murals of Lake Placid - How Art Revived a Town"

"Cashing in on Artist Services"

"Creating an Artist Friendly Community"

"How to Ace Your Next Media Interview"

"How to Write Your Artist Resume"

"How to Write Your Artist Statement"

"How to Write your Artist Bio"

In 2007 Annie Strack created a design for the Fleur de Lis Fore!Kids, Public Art Project. Her Fleur de Lis was installed on the neutral ground in front of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, in downtown New Orleans.

Annie Strack Maritime Art Gallery

2006-04-30T11:58:00.000-07:00

Summerwind" 20x24 (sold)

"Woody" 24x20 (Sold)

"White Dinghy" 20x24 (sold)

"Fleur de Lis" 30x36 (sold)

"Tanker on the Mississippi" 14x20

"Seagulls" 24x18 (sold)

"Rainbow Sail" 16x12 (sold)

"1775 on Lake Pontchartrain" 20x24 (sold)

"Fireboat on the Mississippi" 14x20

"Daystar at the Lighthouse" 16x12

"Connie C" 14x20 (sold)

"Calm Water" 12x16

"Blue Striped Sail" 12x16

"Pirogues" 14x20 (sold)

Annie Strack USCG Art Gallery

2006-04-25T18:05:00.000-07:00

The Coast Guard Art Program (COGAP) uses fine art as an outreach tool for educating diverse audiences about the United States Coast Guard. Through public displays at museums, galleries, and patriotic events, Coast Guard art tells the story of the service's missions, heroes, and history. Coast Guard artists are professional artists who donate their time and talents to help COGAP tell the story of the Coast Guard. All paintings on this page are in the permanent public collection of the United States Coast Guard.

Click here to shop for high quality prints of these paintings!

"Repairing the Light" 30"x24" A crewmember of the USCG Construction Tender Pamlico repairs the beacon of the Tchefuncte River Lighthouse on Lake Pontchartrain.

"USCG The Lookout" 20"x24" Marine Safety Unit Lake Charles personnel conduct port security and law enforcement training near the I-210 bridge in the vicinity of major oil refineries.

"USCG The Chase" 20"x24" Underway on a 24' utility boat, Marine Safety Unit Lake Charles personnel conduct a port security patrol and check of critical maritime infrastructure along the Calcasieu River.

"USCG The Capture" 20"x24" Marine Safety Unit personnel intercept suspected activities during a port security patrol.

"USCG Rescue Swimmer on Lake Pontchartrain" 30"x24" An HC 65B Dolphin from the New Orleans Coast Guard Station drops a Rescue Swimmer into the choppy waters of Lake Pontchartrain for a daring water rescue

"USCG at Cape Lookout" 20"x24" USCG Constuction Tender passes the Cape Lookout Lighthouse on it's return to Harker's Island Station.

"USCG Auxiliary Patrols the Tchefuncte River" 30"x36" USCG Auxiliary plays an important role in supporting and assisting the missions of the Coast Guard.

Annie Strack Sailboat Gallery

2006-04-23T18:52:00.000-07:00

Sailboat at Sundown 12x16 (sold)

10/4 12x9

3 Optimists 12x16 (sold)

Rhodes 19 16x12

Daystar 20x14

Blue Skies 20x24 (sold)

Sailing at the Causeway 16x12

Return to Harbor 24x20 (sold)

ODay 16x12

Sailing at Mandeville Harbor 16x12

#3483 20x14

Mandeville Sailboat 16x12

#92 24x18

#3640 12x16

Game Plan 24x20 (sold)

Annie Strack Lighthouse Gallery

2006-04-22T18:20:00.000-07:00

New Orleans Lighthouse 20x24 (sold)

Rigolets Lighthouse 20x24 (sold)

Cape Lookout Lighthouse 20x14

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse 30x24 (sold)

Ship Island Lighthouse 24x20 (sold)

San Francisco Bay Tower 16x12

Sabine Pass Lighthouse 12x9

Round Island Lighthouse 16x12

Madisonville Lighthouse 24x30 (sold)

Bilox Lighthouse 24x20 (sold)

Annie Strack Seascapes Gallery

2006-04-18T13:12:00.000-07:00

Tropical Beach Path 18 x 24

Tropical Beach 18 x 24

"Red Dingy" 14"x20"

"Dingy at Ft. Christiansted" 14"x20"

"Beach 1" 14"x20"

"Freighter on the Mississippi" 16"x20" (Sold)

"Bali Beach" 14"x20"

"Fishing at Mandeville Harbor" 20"x24" (Sold)

"Seagulls" 32"x40" (Sold)
"Hawaii" 12"x16" (Sold)

Annie Strack Calendar of Events

2006-04-09T19:48:00.000-07:00

Red Dinghy at Night 14 x 20 (Sold)

Visit Interiors & Imports fine art gallery at 813 Florida Street (hwy 190) in Mandeville to choose from the largest selection of paintings available from artist Annie Strack.

In Mississippi, check out Negrotto's Gallery at 2645 Executive Place (behind Edgewater Mall) in Biloxi for my latest seascapes and abstract paintings.

For the largest selection of my limited edition, signed prints, visit Rougarou Gallery in the Riverwalk mall in downtown New Orleans.

Weekly Painting Classes in our Studio in Kennett Square!
New weekly classes start on the 1st Tuesday and Wednesday of each month. Each half-day (morning or afternoon) class meets for 4 weeks. Send an email to reserve your place in uncoming classes. $167 per person

Special Events for 2012
New shows and events are continuously added, check back often for the lastest updates.

January -- Watercolor Soiety of Alabama online juried show

January - March, Philadelphia Watercolor Society juried show

February - March, Watercolor for the Absolute Beginner, Artists Network University online course This 4-week online course is limited to 20 students, so don't wait -- sign up now!

March 3, Business and Marketing Workshop for Artists, Kennett Square, PA. Includes internet, so bring your laptop or mobile device. $95 per person.

March 17, Landscape Drawing. Loose drawing techniques focusing on negative and positive shapes. One-day workshop in our Kennett Square Studio, $68 per person. Limited to 10 people! This is a great class to prepare for plein air watercolor painting.

April -- 3-day Watercolor Painting Workshop, St Croix, USVI. $287 per person. Transporation and lodging are not included

April 20-22, Spring Colors - Plein Air Workshop, Kennett Square, PA. Class will meet at the Studio and paint the surrounding gardens and landscapes. $195 per person.

May 5 - 26, Louisiana Watercolor Society Juried International Show, Place St Charles, New Orleans. Opening Reception May 12

June 1-3, Summer Plein Air Workshop, Kennett Square, PA. Class will meet at the Studio, and paint the surrounding vistas of rivers, ponds, farmlands, and forests. $195 per person.

June 22-24, Architectural Rendering Workshop, Kennett Square, PA. Limited to 10 students! $195 per person.

July 28-29, 9am-4pm. Watercolor Seascapes Painting Workshop, Kennett Square, PA. Limited to 10 students! $136 per person.

August 4, Just Skies - One-day watercolor worksop in our Kennett Square Studio. $68 per person, limited to 10 people!

August 18-19, Watercolor Workshop - Just Beaches. Kennett Square, PA. Limited to 10 Students! Painting a variety of tropical seascapes and landscapes in the air conditioned studio, $136 per person.

October 19-21, Fall Landscape Plein Air Workshop. Kennett Square, PA. Class will meet at the Studio and paint the surrounding pastural countryside of streams, ponds, and colorful woods. $195 per person.

Ongoing -- My TV show, "Painting Seascapes in Watercolor" is now being shown on over 90 television stations worldwide! Check your local cable listings to see broadcast times for your area!

Artist Statement

2006-04-06T18:49:00.000-07:00

(the early years in Florida)

I paint the places and things that I know, places that I love. If home is where the heart is, then each of these paintings is my home. As a child growing up on a small island in south Florida, I grew up on the water and learned to swim, sail, and surf at a very early age.

teenage Annie with dad.

In the years since then, I’ve lived throughout the country and overseas, but I’ve never been far from water. Living in coastal communities has influenced my painting style and inspired me to specialize and develop an expertise in maritime subjects. When I’m painting my seascapes, I feel transported back to the exotic coasts of my travels, and back to those carefree moments of my younger days.

(Annie in Mexico with mom)

(Out-rigger sailing in Bali)

I try to entice the viewer to step into my paintings and experience these places with me; to feel the sand between their toes as they walk on my sun-warmed beaches, to dive into my paintings and swim in my oceans, to cruise through my paintings on the decks of my boats. When you look at my work, I want you to not just see a painting; but to feel the ocean’s wind in your hair, taste the salt spray on your lips, and hear the seagulls calling to you.

(Hawaii)

Although I am a classically trained artist with experience in many mediums, I choose to paint primarily in watercolor. The translucency of the medium allows me to create my paintings using multiple layers of washes and glazes. These layers of color are built up slowly, each one adding depth to the painting. I travel extensively to seek out reference material for my subjects, taking photographs and painting on location to capture the light and mood of the moment. My paintings chronicle my travels across the United States, the Caribbean, and the countries and islands of the Pacific Rim. Every painting is a captured memory; a visual history of a moment of time, place, and emotion that I record through paint
and share with others.

(Annie in Thailand)

I try to use my skills and talents to do more than just create art; I strive to use my knowledge and expertise to contribute something back to society. As an Official Authorized Artist for the U.S. Coast Guard, I am occasionally assigned to accompany USCG units during excursions and training exercises to gather reference materials for specific painting assignments. Through public displays at museums, galleries, and patriotic events, the Coast Guard uses fine art as an outreach tool for educating diverse audiences about their goals and missions, and to tell the story of their heroes and history.

(the Guam years)

My formal art school training began in high school, after I completed my requirements for graduation at age 14. I spent my remaining high school years completing graduate level coursework in an accelerated art program, with advanced placement college courses for gifted and talented students. My teachers were encouraging, but at the same time they warned against seeking a career in the arts. They would often remind students that there are few career opportunities for fine artists, and that there is little possibility for steady income. For decades afterward, I never gave the idea of pursuing an art career another thought, although I never stopped painting.

(greeting collectors at a California gallery)

Because of this, I am dedicated to sharing my skills to help emerging artists realize their own potential, and I endeavor to help other artists improve their skills. Since 2005 I’ve been a feature writer and contributing editor for Art Calendar Magazine, the premier business magazine for professional visual artists. I love writing for the magazine, and I love it when readers write to tell me that the advice or information in my articles have made an impact on their careers. It makes me feel like I’m making a difference in the art world by helping other artists to acquire skills to improve their lives. Another way I try to contribute is through teaching several painting workshops each year. Through my painting lessons, I share the information and techniques that artists need to improve their work and create better paintings. I also try to inspire emerging artists through my lectures and seminars on art business and marketing, and provide them with the tools they need to follow their dreams and aspirations.

(Annie at an art festival in New Orleans)

I have always been an artist; I can’t remember the first time I picked up a brush or created my first work of art. I used to paint as a hobby, until a harrowing incident at my previous job in 1998 that led me to change my life and my career. I had been working as a jeweler when a gang of armed robbers convinced me that it was time for a career change. It was while I laid bound and gagged with a gun to my head, listening to the gunmen discuss my fate as if my life had no more meaning than a discarded gum wrapper, that I had an epiphany; life is too short to waste even a moment on anything that we do not love, anything that does not bring passion and joy into our lives. I have been a full-time professional artist ever since.

"Sailing on the Marsh" 14x20 WC (sold)

I can’t imagine a day without painting, and I can’t imagine painting anything else.

Annie Strack Workshops

2006-03-29T18:20:00.000-08:00

Go to our CALENDAR page to see our current schedule for workshops and classes!

Painting Seascapes in Watercolor

Workshop Materials List

Participants in this workshop will learn the techniques to paint realistic water and skies. They will learn how to create convincing reflections and shadows in water, and how to paint various types of waves and water movement. Participants will learn multiple watercolor techniques including glazing, washes, dry brush, masking, lifting, etc., also composition design, values, and use of color temperatures. A pattern will be provided. Participants will transfer the pattern (drawing) on to their own watercolor paper.

Materials list:

2 half-sheets (approximate size, 14x20 - 15x22 +/-) 140# or heavier cold pressed watercolor paper, either blocked or with a sturdy board
Graphite paper to transfer drawing
Several smaller scraps or a small pad of watercolor paper, for practicing brush strokes
Watercolor palette
Removable masking fluid
HB pencil
White plastic/vinyl eraser
water containers
Paper towels
1" flat watercolor brush
Large round brushes, no smaller than #12
Assorted stiff brushes for scrubing and lifting
Paints: Indigo, Cobalt Blue, Ultramarine Blue (green shade/hue), Payne's Grey, Sepia, Olive Green, Sap Green, Violet, Yellow Ochre, and any other colors you like to use.
Painting Architectural Portraits in Watercolor Workshop Materials list

Participants in this workshop will learn the tecniques to draw and paint portraits of homes, buildings, and other structures. They will learn how to create perspective in their compostitions, draw and paint trees and landscaping elements, and depict architectural features such as siding, stucco, brick, shingles, windows, etc. Participants will work from their own photos or blueprints, which must be sized to correspond to their watercolor paper.

Materials List:

2 quarter sheets (approximate size, 11x14 - 12x16, +/-), 140# or heavier, cold pressed watercolor paper, either blocked or with a sturdy board,
Several smaller scraps or a pad of watercolor paper for praticing brushstrokes.
Watercolor palette
Removable masking fluid
Lightbox and extension cord
Ruler
White plastic/vinyl eraser
water containers
HB pencils
Paper towels
One inch flat watercolor brush
Round brushes in approximate sizes: #16, #10, #4, plus any other brushes you like to use.
Assorted stiff brushes for scrubing
Paints: Bring an assortment plus the usual colors for landscapes.

Besides being an internationally renowned maritime artist, Annie Strack is also a commercial artist specializing in Architectural Renderings. Her renderings are in the collections of numerous architects, builders, contractors, and home owners, and have been published in dozens of periodicals and magazines.

Art Business and Marketing Workshops

Art Business and Marketing workshops can be tailored to fit the needs of any group, and the length of the workshop can be adjusted according to the topics that the group would like to learn. Topics include: writing (resume, bio, artist statement, cover letters, proposals, press releases), Business planning (creating business goals, pricing, budgeting, scheduling), Marketing (setting budgets, tracking, creating promo materials, branding, inventory tracking,), Gaining credentials (choosing shows, entering, how to win, techniques of getting name recognition), Organizing the studio, customer relations and selling, and other related topics. Students will need to bring their existing promotional materials for critiques, and paper and pencils to work on new materials during the workshop.

All registered participants in the Art Business and Marketing workshops will recieve a complimentary copy of Strack's informative book, Business & Marketing for Artists.

Since 2005, Annie Strack has shared her extensive knowledge and experience of art business and marketing through her monthly columns and feature articles in Art Calendar Magazine, the premier national business magazine for professional artists.

Workshop coordinators can click here to request information about hosting an Annie Strack workshop in your area!

Comments from workshop participants:

“Annie Strack is an accomplished instructor. Not only does she paint beautifully, but she is able to demonstrate her techniques to students painting at a variety of levels. I learned a great deal about mixing the colors required to paint realistic water.” ~ Kay Bailey

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"I cannot thank you enough, Annie. You made the workshop fun, as well as informative. I am so inspired to paint the sea that I love. I can hardly put my big brushes down! This workshop was my first. I have learned from painting with friends, TV shows, videos and books. But NOW I have had instruction from ANNIE STRACK!! Annie Strack's workshop was a great learning experience packed with technique, inspiration and tips. One of the techniques I learned was how to use a warm wash to bring water in the fore-ground closer and add luminosity. I also started using larger brushes more. I would recommend her workshop to anyone working with watercolor.” ~ Patsy Seguin

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“I really enjoyed Annie's workshop! She is extremely knowledgeable in watercolor. I think she is a great teacher for beginners as well more advanced people. She has good color theory and her colors work well together. Her judgment in assessing her class's level of work made it more enjoyable as an intermediate student by giving us a faster paced class with a more compact work experience. She stuck to her class projects, but answered many questions pertaining to the subject. This was taught as a technique class rather than a project class. She's enjoyable and pleasant to be around. I would take a class with her again if she comes back to BR. Glad I went.” ~ C. Hoffman

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One of the best workshops I have ever taken! ~ Helen Day

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Excellent - Well worth the cost of the workshop! Annie was very knowledgeable and easy to understand - Wonderful teacher! ~ Bonita Waesche

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I would take another workshop with Annie! ~ Laurie Manley

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Annie covered the water so well, and I really learned exactly what I came to learn. She helped me to observe water and skies more carefully and now I feel I "got" what she was saying, and what I needed to learn! ~ Lori Power

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Very instructive! The water conditions were very helpful (light, surf, etc.,) - excelent teacher - very helpful! ~ Lynn Zakem

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Very thorough for a three day workshop, and Annie was so attentive to each of us - would love to take a follow-up! ~ Marilyn Dartez

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You'll see more boats and water scenes in my work - thanks Annie - I really enjoyed it! ~ Gwen Tappin