Jennifer Annesley has been working with watercolour as her medium of choice since graduating with a bachelor of fine arts in visual arts from the University of Alberta in 1989. Her love of nature is one of the key components of Annesley’s art and is represented by remote landscapes, architectural structures, and an intangible, but critical element of light for which her work has become known.
Annesley’s process starts by taking reference photos while travelling. She then pencil sketches in great detail before the paper sees a drop of colour applied. Then from light to dark, valuing the whiteness of the paper as the brightest source of light, she incorporates subjects—as simple as a book open on a desk, or as ornate as a clock tower—all at interesting angles and perspectives.
Her work has been exhibited across Canada and in the U.S., and is included in the Royal Collection of King Charles III. Housed in Windsor Castle, alongside pieces from DaVinci and Rembrandt, her work is part of one of the largest art collections in the world.
Giving to the arts community through either her time as a member of committee boards or on its jury panels, Annesley has been involved in organizations like the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour, and the Edmonton Art Club. Being recognized at a local level for her life’s work reinforces the emotional strength and enduring skill that Annesley continues to project through her prolific body of work.
