Anne Nordhaus-Bike
Artist Statement
My love of making art began as a young child and continued into my high school years, when one of my prints won a Scholastic Gold Key art award and was exhibited locally. That success led to painting and design commissions and inspired me to earn a degree in art history from the University of Chicago. It also led me to combine my interests in writing and art by launching a fine arts column in a local newspaper.
Over time, writing took on more urgency because of the need to make a living, and my life shifted to a career as a writer and communications and public relations professional. That change kept me from painting for more than 15 years. In 1996, painting re-entered my life when a friend urged me to take a watercolor class to help reclaim my artistic side. Since then, my painting has blossomed in new and unexpected ways, as the time away from art enriched me and broadened my perspective considerably.
In the late 1990s, my work focused on watercolor, including portraits of political, historical, and literary figures; architectural renderings based on scenes viewed on my international business travels; and anatomical renditions with a slightly macabre bent inspired by years of writing in the healthcare field. In the 2000s, my interest shifted to working in oil and allowed me to produce portraits of art and literary luminaries, colorful still lifes, and “portraits” of symbolic objects such as hearts and feathers.
Since then, my painting in both watercolor and oil has evolved to reflect my interests in nature and spirituality. At the same time, my creative process has changed to include these interests: painting sessions begin either with a walk outside or with meditation, followed by painting. This approach enables me to paint from the soul in capturing the spirit of what my eyes saw on my walk (or during meditation) and what my heart felt in response.
Anne Nordhaus-Bike lives and works in the Clearing/Garfield Ridge community on the Southwest Side of Chicago.
For more information, go to www.anbcommunications.com, e-mail info@anbcommunications.com, or call (773) 229-0024.
