ANNA DAM, LONG ISLAND ARTIST
As a native Long Islander Anna spent her childhood focused on nature, science & wildlife. Her entire family shared a strong art and naturalist background. Her Mother was a much loved art teacher in the school system and her father was a well-known naturalist, taxidermist and Bay Constable. The family had extensive fruit, vegetable, and flower gardens at their home in Cold Spring Harbor. Anna knew from a very early age that her life’s work would involve both art and gardening.
Following high school Anna attended college at the Ringling School of Art in Sarasota Florida, a well-known college of illustration. After transferring back to NY, she earned a Bachelor of Fine Art degree from SUNY Purchase. One of her first jobs following school was working for several mural, faux finish and decorative art studios including Lee Ames Caryl Hall Studio in CSH. At the same time, she developed a seasonal perennial gardening design business on Long Island’s north shore.
For many years Anna traveled to the West Indies for the winter months where she worked capturing the beauty of the people, architecture, and flora of the tiny island of Montserrat. Her bright and vibrant images were collected for many years by expatriates, tourists, famous musicians, and government officials. Anna also taught drawing and painting to local artists. Anna also showed in the island’s galleries and helped local artists sell and market their own work.
In 1995 the island life and terrain was changed forever when the long dormant volcano erupted. Sadly, many of the paintings you see in the Montserrat galleries are pictorial record of the beautiful boats, wooden gingerbread adorned buildings and bustling Plymouth daily life that are now gone or changed forever.
Anna has also spent a considerable amount of time in Down East Maine on Deer Isle where she maintains a home and perennial gardens with her daughter. As a member of the Deer Isle Artists Association, she enjoys the wonderful artist’s community and shows frequently in the local gallery. A more relaxed lifestyle and an incredibly scenic area are an ideal place for many artists. Favorite subjects include the vibrant blueberry fields in winter, weathered boats and rugged landscape.
Anna now splits her time between New York and Maine. She is always creating new paintings, whether it is a commission of someone’s beloved pet, a favorite house, or a landscape view. Anna has also created a large portfolio of naturalist studies of animals, insects, and orchids. Check back often to see what is the “New Work” category! Her work can also be seen in person at Cold Spring Harbor’s Coffee shop “Sweetie Pie’s on Main” as well as the Heritage Candle shop and Harbor Hound.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS AND WORK HISTORY/RESUME
Education
Ringling School of Art, Sarasota Florida, Illustration program 1979-80
SUNY Farmingdale School of Horticulture 1980-81
SUNY Purchase, Purchase NY 1981-85,Graduated BFA w/ Honors
Continuing education at the Art League
Watercolor and pen and ink rendering of Long Island homes for Franley Design Studios,
CSH NY from 1982-92
Caryl Hall Studios, Cold Spring Harbor NY
Trompe-l’oeil, Faux finishes and Mural painting for commercial and private clients and
Designer Showcases 1984-86
Freelance Experience
Montserrat British West Indies 1985-1995
- Painted Watercolors and Acrylics of landscape, flora, architecture and local people. Body of work includes commissioned pieces and work collected by locals, ex-patriots and British government purchases.
- Taught Watercolor and Drawing to children and adults.
- Exhibited at “The Island House Gallery” Plymouth 1986-89
- Exhibited at “The Sunset Gallery” Plymouth 1995-97
- Exhibited at a solo Exhibition at the Yacht Club, Wapping , Montserrat
- Assisted in the direction and production of the first “Buy Local Exhibition and Sale” promoting the art and craft of local peoples. March 1989
- Interviewed by Eastern Caribbean Television about my art, education and inspiration.1989
April 1989: Cold Spring Harbor Library Solo Exhibit – Watercolor paintings of Maine and Montserrat, West Indies.
1984 – continuing: Comissioned Works in Trompe L’Oeil, faux finishes and Decorative Mural design for numerous clients in NY , Palm Beach and the Caribbean
September 1999 and 2000: Caumsett Foundation. Participated in auction of original artwork for the Walled Garden Project Benefit.
1995: Cold Spring Harbor Merchants Association- Pen & ink with watercolor illustrations of town store fronts for promotional use in the towns brochure, Newsday publication and for the New CSH Library Fundraiser.
1996: Drawings of CSH town also published in “CSH Re-discovering History in Streets and Shores” by Terry Walton. Published by the Whaling Museum Society,Inc CSH,NY
2003: Drawings published in CSH Fire Department 150 Year of Service Publication and poster.
2007: Drawings Published in book “Maggie’s Memories, a View of Cold Spring Harbor” by Margaret Norton Rosalie Inc. Publications
August 2009 – continuing: Solo Exhibition in Water Mill NY at The Laurel Group at Baywoods Gallery
September 2009: Work exhibited at the Hampton Classic
Sept. 26th & 27 2009: “Meet the Artist” Sidewalk Sale, a town wide event set in Cold Spring Harbor featuring the work of seven local artists.
June 27th – July 10th, 2010: “Chosen Places” Group Show Deer Isle Artists Association. Landscapes in watercolor and oil on canvas.
July 23rd – August 10th, 2010: All Members Show Deer Isle Artists Association. Landscapes in watercolor and oil on canvas.
Sept 1 – 30th 2010: Group Show at the New Cold Spring Harbor Library / Environmental Center Gallery Featuring seven Long Island Naturalist painters and illustrators, reviewed in LI Trends Magazine
September 1st – October 1st, 2010: Artist/ Naturalist Show , Group show of 8 Long Island Naturalists, painters and photographers. Show included my Botanical illustrations in watercolor.
July 3rd – 16th, 2011: “All Members Show” Deer Isle Artists Association Group Show including Landscapes in watercolor and oil on canvas
August 14th – 27th, 2011: “Color Chorus” Deer Isle Artists Association Group Show, Landscapes in watercolor and oils
September 1st – October 1st, 2011: Wildlife and Botanical Artists Cold Spring Harbor Library group Show, illustrations in watercolor.
June 29th – July 12th, 2012: “Land and Sea” Group show Deer Isle Artists Association, landscapes in watercolor and oils
July 19th, 2012 – Present: “96 Forest” Locust Valley, NY a Decorators shop, Orchid Botanical illustrations on display
August 10th – 23rd, 2012: All Members Exhibit Deer Isle Artists Association Watercolors and oils
September 23rd, 2012: Art & Jazz Festival, street fair Cold Spring Harbor NY Town wide exhibition and sale.
October 19, 2012 – Present: Group show at AvaFlora ,153 Main St , Cold Spring Harbor, NY work still on display Original Landscapes in oil and Watercolor
Current: Sweetie Pies on Main, 181 Main St Cold Spring Harbor, paintings on display
Current: The Gourmet Whaler, 111 Main St Cold Spring Harbor NY, Paintings on display
Materials
My watercolors are painted using Winsor Newton pigments and a variety of Sable and synthetic brushes. Some of my paintings are done using a liquid mask technique, all ar painted on Arches or Fabriano Watercolor paper, in either 140lb or 300lb weights.
My oils and acrylics are painted with Winsor Newton Tube pigments using Medium weight canvas on wood stretchers. The Paintings are varnished when appropriate.
All Giclee prints are executed on Heavy weight acid free paper almost identical to the paper of the original, They are professionally printed using stable archival quality inks. My prints are produced by Image Arts Inc, located in Huntington NY. All prints are hand signed and limited to a number individually set in advance. Sizes and prices vary widely depending upon the individual image and the size of the edition.
