Annie's pictures are now on the station
Wait for me Rudolph
Annie had great fun creating this work and it really shows. In this picture she uses putty for the outline and tissue paper for the parcels. All Annie's work is painted using her fingers, in a small shed halfway down her garden.
Guide dog 'Amber'
This was one of Annie's first pieces using quick drying putty as an 'outline'. A portrait of her guide dog, Amber, it was entered for the Helen Keller International Award 2011, and was Highly Commended.
Dandelions
This is a very personal piece, representing Annie's three children, one of whom died. She used a coffee lid, wood shavings, putty and thick paint to create the effect.
Annie's method
Annie uses an audio labelling system called 'Penfriend'. She records the colours of her paints onto bar-coded labels, which she then sticks onto each tube . The Penfriend 'reads' the bar-codes in much the same way as a 'scanner' in the supermarket. Prior to this she used rubber bands round the paint tubes, to recognise their colour, two for red, one for blue etc. Technology has changed her life.
About Annie
To say Annie is inspirational does not do her justice. She deals with her disability with dignity and humour (much of which is expressed through her art). To give you an example of Annie's magnanimity, while I was at her home, she went out of her way to make me feel comfortable, to the point that she has taught herself to 'look' at the person she is communicating with just to make the speaker feel relaxed. There were times when I had to remind myself she couldn't see.
I have included a photograph of one of her newer, more experimental piece's, because I think it speaks both for Annie and itself.
Acceptance
All of Annie's pictures can be purchased in card form.
Annie hopes to start selling some of her originals soon. Her aim is to raise money to fund a trip to see her sister in Australia, whom she hasn't seen for 41 years. If you are interested in buying any of her work please visit her website or email her.
