Churchwood Gallery proudly welcomes Annie Wildey in July of 2024 for an exhibition of select paintings.

Originally from the UK, Annie moved to New York City in the late 90’s working a career in PR, design and marketing with the British Government. In 2006 she enrolled at the New York Academy of Art for her MFA. She later moved to Long Island as Artist-in-Residence at the William Steeple Davis House and began a steady art practice. This is where the sea tugged at her soul and she immersed herself in studying and painting waves.

With many other unique opportunities along the way, such as studio assistant to master print-maker Dan Welden she eventually landed in Mystic, Connecticut, in 2011. Annie opened her business with a studio at the Velvet Mill. In 2020, life shifted again and she settled down in the coastal town of Westerly in the Ocean State of Rhode Island. In December 2022, Annie joined forces with photographer Michael Fanelli and together, they opened AiR Studio & Gallery, in downtown Westerly.

Wildey’s work has exhibited both nationally and internationally, in commercial galleries and venues which include:  The National Museum of China: The Mall Galleries, London, UK; The Heckscher Museum, NY, Southampton Art Center, NY and The University of Connecticut. With a total of fifteen solos, one hundred and sixty six group exhibitions and fifteen curated shows under her belt, she is a well-seasoned professional.

The shore provides her a place for contemplation, inspiration and reflection. Her practice fluctuates between plein air and painting in her studio. She states ‘I bring my experiences back into the studio, interpreting the smells, sounds, feelings, and energy of the elements. The process is fluid, moving between freedom and control, accident and intention, as I push and pull the paint to translate my visual and emotional experiences of a subject-in-motion.’

Annie’s work is extremely expressive and somewhat abstract when standing up close and remarkably realistic when viewed from a distance. No matter the scale, her remarkable seascapes remind us to be present.