Anna Pat Keller's Studio

Media Category of Your Art

Painting, Printmaking

Artist Statement

My multi-layered, contemporary, mixed media and encaustic paintings are informed, in part, by the haunting beauty of this lonely land-- and by my response to living here. I often begin my work with a simple composition inspired by the patterns, shapes and colors that I see in my daily life in Northern New Mexico -- ancient, crumbling walls, peeling paint on a gate, the curve of a hillside or golden leaves against a brilliant blue sky. As I respond to the visual and tactile stimulus of working-- painting, scraping, scribing and etching into the paint-- my visual language begins to assert itself in the form of drawing, writing, numbers and other personal mark-making. I may recall a bit of graffiti, a scribbled note I've found, or perhaps part of a poem or a conversation-- and these elements often find their way into a painting.

As I paint, a "story" begins to emerge, and I try to incorporate both my visual world and my inner life into the work. During a process of layering and revising that always occurs, I strive to reveal parts of the earlier layers of a painting. This is my way of representing the many levels of thought that take place while I work, as well as acknowledging the importance of elements that lie beneath the surface, both in painting and in life.

I work in a remarkable studio with views of the fertile farm valley and the spectacular red cliffs of Abiquiu. My current series of paintings, partly inspired by my journey to this extraordinary place, is titled "Life and Other Stories" and can be seen at my studio during the Abiquiu Studio Tour, or by calling 505-685-0578 for an appointment after the Tour.