Annette Alessi

Annette Pozzuolo- Alessi started drawing when she was about eight years old. "I can remember my first introduction to pastels. My father's friend took me to an art store to get a 'professional pastel set'. It has been my favorite medium ever since! " Annette participated in an inspirational art class outside of high school and also an art program in high school. She attended the Art Institute of Philadelphia, PA. majoring in Fashion Illustration and graduated in 1987 with an Associate Degree in Specialized Technology of the arts.

For 20 years, the specialty of the artist has been figurative work and pastels. Annette has had many opportunities as a young professional artist from fashion illustration to graphic design and art direction for the advertising industry. A new exploration began when her second child was born. She moved into her Garnet Valley, Pa. home and created a series of four paintings of women in historical fashions. At the beginning of the new millennium, the resulting works were accepted into an art exhibit called "Art on the Town" near the Delaware Art Museum. From this opportunity, the artist was lead to explore other subject matters and get involved in further local art shows. The artist's focus narrowed to landscapes 'en plein aire' and children's pastel portraits. Annette was able to teach herself to paint landscapes "en plein aire" with the extensive background of the pastel medium.

Shortly after the new millennium, the artist began experimenting with oils. Her first oil painting was created while studying under Karl Kuerner. Annette decided to continue studying oil painting in figure drawing workshops at the Wallingford Community Arts Center, which she regularly attended. “After a few months of working with the figure using oils, I decided to try a landscape study with oils once again. It was a study of the beach and I called it ‘Pathways to Serenity’. I displayed it at Firefly Gallery in Beach Haven, NJ and it sold in one month! This was a milestone for me. Every experience in art throughout my life has benefited me to become the true passionate artist that I am today."

Annette studied with Karl Kuerner, a well-known Brandywine Valley artist who was mentored by Andrew Wyeth. She teaches adult classes at the Darlington Art Center in Boothwyn, PA. She is a member of the Community Arts Center in Wallingford, PA, the Art League of Wayne, the Artist Guild, the Media Arts Council and has taught fashion illustration and design for children at the Darlington Art Center in Boothwyn, PA.

Annette has been participating in many exhibits across the Delaware Valley and they have been pleasingly successful. Some of her works have been published in the Daily Times, Kennett Paper and West Chester Daily Local News. Annette currently has her studio in Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania.



	©2008 Hardcastle Gallery Centreville, Delaware, USA