Today we’d like to introduce you to Annie Marini – Genzon.
Hi Annie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up in a little town called Banfield, on the outskirts. of Buenos Aires, Argentina. My family lived in a suburban area; nature was always present in my life. I have fond memories of my childhood watching my grandfather take care of his orchard and chickens. As a child, I always love drawing, painting, and making tridimensional objects. My father was a very skillful craftsman; watching him work at his home shop on different projects was an inspiration and a learning experience about transforming raw materials into unique pieces.
As I went through high school, my desire to become an artist grew stronger; I knew I had a passion for visual arts and poetry, and reading became a great source of inspiration for my art.
Education
I earned my BFA at Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes Manuel Belgrano (National Institute of the Arts) and my MFA from Universidad Nacional de las Artes, Prilidiano Pueyrredón –UNA-
I have also taken art classes at the Pasadena City College and the Art Center College of Design and participated in art residences in Italy and Spain.
I have received the international award “ Premi Internacionazionali Delle Arti “ Memoria Lucia Martinez” 2004- 2008” and “Diploma de Accésit – Premio Concurso Internacional de Artes Plásticas “Compositor Antonio Guada.” In 2005 I received a Certificate of Appreciation from the City of Los Angeles-honoring me as an Artist and Educator.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Challenges and lessons learned along the way. My parents did not support my artistic endeavors. They thought art was not a lucrative career; they were probably right. The Argentinean economic crisis of the ’70s and 80’ was not promising prospects for artistic careers. Under the political turmoil, art and artists seemed like a dangerous proposition.
At the end of 1989, along with my husband and children, we moved to Pasadena, California.
Immigrating to a new country was not an easy journey! It took a while to get acclimated to the new environment; however, being an Art and Spanish teacher allowed me to start working very quickly.
During my first years living in the US, making fast progress with my art was challenging. Despite that, I started showing my work in local galleries, and with time, I exhibited my work at galleries in Paris, Italy, Spain, Russia, and back in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I am currently represented by galleries in Arizona and California.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I work in various visual disciplines; I am known for my lively figurative and abstract paintings and captivating sculptures. My dynamic compositions are abundant in color sensibility; I explore a rich visual vocabulary of boldness and subtlety; I create works through labor-intensive processes that can be seen explicitly as a personal search in life by applying metaphorical language. By referencing metaphors and symbolism, I create intense emotional moments conceived by rules and omissions, acceptance, and refusal, luring the viewer into their significance. Time and memory always play a crucial role. My figurative paintings and sculptures represent journeys of the soul, perhaps my journey in life! My characters, often women, wearing, in most cases, water polo helmets, symbolize perseverance and endurance. My abstract paintings focus mainly on concerns with Global Warming, Draught, Pollution, and the environment in general.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.amgart.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amgart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ana.marini.art/
Image Credits
Annie Marini Genzon Ricardo Genzon
