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CHASING LIGHT AND COMMUNITY The Artistic Journey of Ann Hair

Ann Hair’s journey to becoming an award-winning artist is as vibrant and dynamic as the landscapes she paints. With over 25 years of experience, she’s built a career around capturing the beauty of nature, particularly the coastal scenes of North Carolina. From the bustling world of advertising and interior design to teaching and ultimately plein air painting, Hair’s evolution as an artist is a testament to the power of following your passion, no matter where life leads you.


By Sara Beck


Ann Hair, an award-winning artist with over 25 years of experience, discovered her passion for painting after careers in advertising, interior design, and teaching. “My earliest workshops were with plein air artists, and I fell in love with painting outdoors,” says Hair.


Hair is a founding member of PAINT NC, a large group of plein air painters that meets weekly in the Raleigh area. Most inspiring to her are the striking landscapes of coastal North Carolina. “I draw my palette from nature and enjoy capturing the play of light and shadow cast by brilliant early morning and late afternoon light—especially in the oceans, marshes, rivers, and people enjoying the beaches. The challenge,” she says, “is to capture the scene quickly, before the light changes.” Traveling and taking in less familiar scenery also fuels her creativity—last year she painted in the mountains, and she visits Ocracoke yearly for a retreat. And when the weather doesn’t cooperate, she works in her studio, often painting larger pieces from life. 



Hair is an active member of the Wilmington community and gives back by participating in plein air painting fundraisers and donating art to charitable causes. For the past 6-or-so years, she has been one of the artists featured in the gardens for the Cape Fear Garden Club Tour during the Azalea Festival, and she paints around Wrightsville beach for Harborway Gardens. She recognizes that community is central to an artist’s life, her advice to new artists being to “find a group of artists you respect, paint, and learn from each other.” Through her community, Hair has found great mentorship. “I’ve studied with some amazing artists and learned something from each of them… Rick McClure was the first artist I encountered plein air with. Peggi Kroll Roberts taught me a lot about value. I learned a great deal about figurative work from Dan Beck. Don Sahli shared his Russian influence,” she reminisces, concluding that she’s most influenced by modern impressionism. 



“My current work is more realistic,” she says, “although I strive to ‘keep it loose.’ My brushwork is more direct and controlled. I think my sense of color is more subdued.” Hair is currently preparing for some local gallery shows, and she soon hopes to participate in more shows at the national level, as well as to learn and grow as an artist, incorporating more impressionistic qualities into her work. While she works toward these goals, she never loses sight of the reason she makes art in the first place. “I truly enjoy painting for myself… painting something that excites me,” she reflects. Ironically, she finds it’s these paintings that usually end up in shows.


Ann Hair is currently showing with Fine Art Local, a new gallery in downtown Wilmington, NC. To see more of her work, visit fineartlocal.com and annhair.com


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