Anne Butera is VIVA’s October Guest Artist!
Artist Statement:
The thrill of the first flower unfolding in the spring. The bliss of a sun warm tomato eaten straight from the vine. The perfection of a handful of acorns discovered on a walk. There’s magic in even the most ordinary bits of nature.
The inspiration to paint is a whisper of magic. Something catches my eye or draws my attention, the first hint of an idea. Maybe it’s the shape of a petal or the way one color blends into another. I listen to the whisper and study my subject, rediscovering its magic before I ever begin painting.
I’m a self-taught artist who began painting as an adult. I was a gardener first, and as I taught myself to paint, my garden was my classroom and paper and paint were my teachers. When I study my subject and begin dreaming up my composition, the initial moment of quiet contemplation is a sacred communication with nature. It’s my connection to the world’s magic, something so many of us lose touch with as we leave childhood behind.
My watercolors help bring back that connection. My art celebrates the beauty and joy of plants and flowers; it delights in the ordinary magic of the natural world.
By sharing my art, I invite you to rediscover the magic and savor the everyday joys of nature, too.
Anne’s Biography:
Anne Butera is a self-taught artist who finds inspiration in the beauty of her garden and the magic of nature. She works primarily in watercolor but also loves challenging herself to try new things. Her sketchbooks are her creative playground.
In her art and life she strives to seek out and celebrate the little joys and daily graces, shifting focus to beauty and cultivating a mindset of gratitude.
Anne writes the blog My Giant Strawberry and teaches online.
Her art and writing have been published in magazines including Artful Blogging, UPPERCASE, Cottages and Bungalows, 2 Million Blossoms, In Her Studio and Strawberry Moon. She was profiled in the book Botanica: a Mixed Bouquet of Art, Design & Ephemera.
Anne collaborated with Kickapoo Meadery in Blue River, Wisconsin to create a series of botanical paintings for the labels on their mead bottles. Find their mead at the Viroqua Food Co-Op and read the full story at: www.mygiantstrawberry.com/kickapoo-meadery
Learn more and connect with Anne at www.mygiantstrawberry.com
Anne Answers Some Fun Questions!
How did you come to focus on your current subject?
I was a gardener long before I began painting. My garden – whether on it was located on my windowsill, rooftop, fire escape or in my backyard – has always been my most joyful creative outlet and a sanctuary from stress, anxiety and worry. When I started making art as an adult, I was most drawn to painting with watercolor. It’s a perfect medium for capturing the delicate grace of plants and flowers. Botanical watercolor painting has a rich and fascinating history and I’ve always admired the tradition of illustrated gardening journals. What most intrigues me about them is how they celebrate the relationships between people and plants.
When I began teaching myself how to paint it seemed natural for me to turn to my garden for inspiration. Once I started connecting with plants in this way, I couldn’t stop.
From where do you draw your inspiration?
My garden and nature are my main sources of inspiration. The colors, patterns, shapes and textures of plants and flowers never fail to delight me. I grow what I want to paint and paint what I grow.
Can you articulate what draws you to a particular composition?
Many of my paintings celebrate the unique beauty of a single plant, flower, seed, leaf or other bit of nature. I paint highly detailed watercolors against white backgrounds. The tradition of botanical illustration influenced my style and yet, I do not follow its strict rules. Instead I connect with my subject and attempt to capture the joy I feel in that connection. My paintings are not scientific studies and I don’t paint exactly what I see. I focus on what most delights me about a subject and highlight that unique quality with my art. Again, for me it’s about my relationship with nature.
I also frequently paint multiple subjects together in one composition. I think of these as “what’s in bloom” paintings. Often when you visit a botanical garden there’s a display near their entrance highlighting the plants in bloom. I try to do this with these paintings. Celebrate an exact moment in the garden. So much in the garden is fleeting and if we don’t pay attention we might miss it.
Part of my painting process is heading out to my garden with my scissors. I cut whatever catches my eye and then bring it back into my studio to study. I sketch and mix paint and eventually settle on a combination that looks good together. This process is always a source of joy for me.
What does your studio look like?
I recently moved into a new studio. We switched the rooms around in our house and my studio is now in the room that used to be our bedroom. It has two big closets and I’ve put my computer in one and my products and shipping supplies in the other. Room for storage is so important but it’s also great to be able to close the doors on technology and unplug.
The best part about my new studio is that it opens into my garden. We replaced a window with sliding doors so I can step directly into my garden from my studio. This change has been creatively energizing for me. My studio and garden now feel as if they’re part of the same space.
I’m looking forward to getting fully settled in and back to work with my inspiration so close at hand, especially with winter coming. Winter is often a hard time for me in part because my garden is tucked beneath the snow and I can’t spend time in it like I can during the other seasons. This year in my studio I’ll be able to watch the birds at the feeders, study the ever-changing sky and notice all of the subtle colors of the quietest season.
What’s the most indispensable item in your studio?
Although I do have a lot of “stuff” and enjoy collecting art supplies, cultivating a personal library and decorating my space, all I really need to create my art is a table and my paints, brushes and watercolor paper.
Yet, the most indispensable things in my studio are the subjects for my paintings, the inspiration for my art. It’s an ever-changing collection of flowers cut from my garden, leaves or seeds picked up on walks and plants growing in front of my windows.
