Featured Artist Anni Hunt

Mixed media artist Anni Hunt shares her creative journey and a charming series of works from her Bird’s Nest collection. Visit her website to see more of her art.

 

 

As a mixed media artist, my journey has been one of discovery, creativity, and self expression. From early days of exploring different mediums to discovery of my own unique style, each step has been a learning experience.

 

 

Growing up was a challenge for me educationally, as I was drawn to the sciences as well as art. I chose a career in the medical imaging field. But I think that career helped me enormously in my art. It shaped my love of grayscale and detail, which I later brought into my art with my passion for neutrals and subtleties of colour.

 

 

My artistic journey began later in life, in my forties. I formalized my training with the London City & Guilds certification from the UK, then began to focus on textiles and how they could be used in my artwork. I was drawn to texture, colour, and patterns of different fabrics and I started to incorporate them into my pieces.

 

 

I found that the juxtaposition of different textures and materials added depth and dimension into my work. It was then that I discovered mixed media art and began experimenting with various materials and techniques such as collage, printing, silk screening and encaustics using wax to embed components of my art into 2D as well as 3D creations.

 

 

My creative process is one of exploration and experimentation. I often begin with an idea or concept and then gather materials that I feel best convey that idea. I enjoy incorporating reclaimed, found objects in my work such as old photographs, vintage maps, rusty finds along the railway line or gifts from nature, such as leaves, bark, lichens, items that convey a sense of history, nostalgia, decay, and antiquity. The fun begins in auditioning these items, adding and subtracting until a pleasing result emerges.

 

 

My love of simplicity and the Japanese style of wabi-sabi guides my creativity of most of my work. I like to invite the viewer in for a closer look to see hidden letters, symbols, words, and stitches.

 

 

One of the challenges I face as a mixed media artist is finding the right balance between the different materials and techniques. I have had to learn to trust my instincts and not be afraid to take risks.

 

 

My studio is definitely a challenge when organizing all of my supplies and equipment for all of the various techniques I incorporate into my work. I have had to get creative with my workspace, utilizing different storage solutions and different spaces for wet and dry techniques.

 

 

Participating in exhibitions has been an important part of my journey as an artist. It has allowed me to share my work with a wider audience and to connect with other artists. Seeing my work displayed alongside other talented artists is a validation of my hard work ethic and inspires me to show up in my studio every day.

 

 

Looking back on my journey as an artist, I am proud of what I have accomplished. From my early experiments with different materials and techniques to the more refined work I create today, each step has been a learning experience. I am constantly inspired by the world around me and the possibilities that different materials and techniques offer. I now value teaching and talking about my work to other artists as a very rewarding experience and the next step along the artistic journey.

 

Anni Hunt invites you to follow her on Facebook and Instagram

 

 

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