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People, Portals & Palms
Ann Strub Brings Figurative and
Narrative Painting to life
Story by Debra Kronowitz
Native New Orleanian Ann Strub brings a unique style of edgy
classicism to the New Orleans art scene. Her paintings, often
inspired by a family photograph album from the 1920s, are by no
means retro. In fact, they often reflect a certain flatness of
image and self-containment that is heightened through strong
contrasts of light and shade.
Through stylization of form and bold use of a saturated,
atypical color palette, her work redefines contemporary.
A great part of Strub’s career was in theatre, where she acted,
directed and taught. “I always had two loves
–
theater and graphic art. During my years at Newcomb College in
New Orleans, theater became my great passion, and I became a
theater major; but all of my electives were in the art school
studio classes with Hal Carney,” she said.
About 10 years ago, Strub realized she was burnt out and
changed muses mid-stream, enrolling in the New Orleans Academy
of Fine Art where she studied for eight years. “And the rest is
my history,” she matter-of-factly said.
Her art
is primarily in figurative and narrative painting, in which she
has always had an interest. “I think it comes from early classes
in figurative drawing with Mr. Carney at Newcomb. I believe I
always enjoyed drawing the figure of people. I believe people do
what they can do best; it brings the most satisfaction. I truly
relish drawing and painting the figure, the head; and my results
are, oftentimes, fairly satisfying. In museums and art
galleries, I always gravitate to the figurative painters,” she
said.
Her work is bold and dramatic, yet
uses simplified forms, exciting graphics and a vivid color
palette. Her work shows traces of the strong graphic
expressionism of Egon Schiele’s subjects, yet they are unique.
She draws influence from artists Andrea del Sarto, Vincent van
Gogh, Schiele, Wayne Thiebaud and her good friend, New Orleanian
George Dureau. She has a special place in her heart for Carney,
who Strub said has influenced her greatly. “He was such a fine
draftsman and he knew very well how to impart methods, technique
and discipline to his students. He inspired me to express myself
and to work hard,” she recalled.
Strub enjoys working with small, indistinct (hazy) old photos
because they only give her a gesture, a mood, a texture that
allows her to create her own interpretation of the image. “I am
always looking for drama, movement and strong attitude in photos
and in life to set my muse in motion,” she explained.
She draws
quickly but paints slowly. Her latest exhibit took place this
past December at the Jean Bragg Gallery of Southern Art and
featured new work inspired by her piece,
Katrina Revisted.
Unlike a lot of local artists, Strub does not draw or paint the
literal destruction left by
Hurricane Katrina.
Yet, Katrina Revisited
became her muse after the storm. |
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| Photos by
Jean Bragg Gallery of Southern Art and Joseph F. Bergeron |
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“This is truly a story
of rebirth. My framer, who lived in Lakeview, had his business totally
inundated by water. I had left this painting to be framed, and it was
submerged in saltwater from the lake for weeks. Anyone else would have
thrown the moldy result away, but I loved this subject.
“I had the live mold spores removed by a conservator, but kept the
rich patina of decay. The effect is visible, particularly on the left
side. I repainted the bright red-orange cafe chair on this surface. How
evocative of the old French Quarter,” she recalled.
Strub generally works with acrylic on canvas, yet she does like to
experiment. For example, with
Promenade, she used acrylic painted on vellum laid down on board
with applied rice paper and gilt.
“When I combine drawing on vellum, mounting the drawing on board
and painting it, I get tremendous satisfaction because I get what I
intend or want. Every medium reacts to my needs differently
– some
results are good. I know experimenting loosens me. When the results are
tight I don’t like it,” she said.
Strub looks for the old, familiar New Orleans that she fell in love with
50 years ago and is inspired to paint in New Orleans today, especially
because of the wonderful color that South Louisiana exudes. “Hurricane
Katrina chased me to the
mountains of North Carolina, and for the first time in my serious
painting years, I was in a location that was not as inspirational as New
Orleans. I find in New Orleans inspiration in the way the light makes
the natural colors enhanced, brighter, more seductive, more dramatic
– the
light, the people, the environment, the attitude
–
everything in New Orleans is more inspirational and exciting than any
place I know. Yet, I am looking for a positive, alive, joyful New
Orleans, not the negative
post-Katrina city, and I’m finally finding it!” she said.
Strub’s next exhibit is scheduled for 2009, again at the Jean Bragg
Gallery of Southern Art.
Jean Bragg Gallery of Southern Art,
600 Julia St., 504.895.7375,
www.jeanbragg.com |
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