I have been drawing ever since I knew how to pick up a pencil - art was always there for me. As my skill evolved, I have experimented with different mediums. My wonderful teacher Lana Arkhi (to whom I owe so much) submitted my portrait painting of Evgeni Plushenko to the New Style Magazine exhibition in 2018, where it attracted the attention of master portrait artist Svetlana Cameron, who chose me among
others for a portrait masterclass. Those hours I spent with her were inspiring, and my love of portraiture was born. After that, I could not stop. I grew so used to my pastels, I started using them for everything; illustrations, still life, etc. Over the last few years, however, I have started branching out artistically in a variety of different mediums and creating in any way I can . Art has been a solace, a
challenge, a joy, a struggle and a deep-seated passion that I will cherish forever. I am a proud member of Kent Talents Art Club and have many aspirations for an artistic future. Most recently I won the first ever Young Miniaturist Award from the Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers for one of my tiniest works yet, 'Serenity'. I look forward to all the creative possibilities ahead of me.
This medium I have only begun to experiment with, but its charm is undeniable. 'Though she be but little, she is fierce', William Shakespeare wrote; though these works are small, they are all the more entrancing - and complicated - for that very fact.
From my first work 'Fruit of Hades' to the latest, 'Miranda', I have striven to give each miniature the careful attention it deserves in order to realise the potential of these spectacularly small works.
The gentle, refined quality of pastels is perfect for portraiture and realism. Whether using sticks or pastel pencils, both produce a rich colour which is layered thinly to create the final product. Their best attribute, in my opinion, is how well they blend; the colours smooth out and settle to build up the delicate features of each picture.
Whilst there are many high-quality brands around, I personally use Conte à Paris pastels and pencils for my pictures. With a combination of sticks, pencils and blending stumps I can create the desried effect; however, one must not only rely on materials. A portrait is more than a semblance, but a representation of life. In my works, I try to enliven my subjects and imbue them with the essence of what is beautiful about the people I draw.
These paintings are varied in intent and subject matter, and have taught me much about art as a whole in their respective creative processes. Whether portraits, landscapes or even Christmas card designs, all have been labours of love.
The different aesthetics and auras of the works have been interesting to capture with different strokes and hues - from Christmas pieces to figure skaters, to Marilyn Monroe and Sarah Kay, there has been so much pleasure even in the harder aspects of each work, which prove rewarding when surmounted.
As quarantine began, so did The Show Must Go Online. Shakespeare being my passion, I could not resist creating fan art - my first piece portrayed Kate and Bianca in ‘The Taming Of The Shrew’, and I have not looked back since.
Portraying a variety of comedies, tragedies, histories and 'problem' plays had been an enjoyable challenge for me, and the one-week time frame has positively impacted my creative abilities and artistic skills. The eagle-eyed of you might notice that I have not created art for all the plays yet - so watch this space!
The Taming Of The Shrew
Henry VI Part I
Henry VI Part II
Henry VI Part III
Titus Andronicus 
Richard III
The Comedy Of Errors 
Love's Labour's Lost 
Richard II
Romeo And Juliet 
A Midsummer Night's Dream
King John
The Merchant Of Venice 
Henry IV Part I
The Merry Wives Of Windsor 
Henry IV Part II
Julius Caesar
As You Like It
Hamlet
The Twelfth Night
Troilus and Cressida
Measure for Measure
Othello
All's Well That Ends Well
King Lear
Timon of Athens
Macbeth
Antony and Cleopatra
The Winter's Tale
Cymbeline
Henry VIII
The TempestGzhel was a style I fell in love with when I began having lessons with Lana Arkhi, a master of the style whose work captivated me. In the pieces I have created I have tried to emulate traditional style with my own compositions of flowers, ombre brushstrokes, and meticulous details.
The vibrant richness of the colours and traditional elegance of the patterns in this style amazes me every time I pick up my paintbrush and begin a new piece. I have painted many different things in this style, from rocking horses to garden sheds, front doors and decorations, and each have their own charms and beauties when completed.
Just a touch of this pattern had the ability to brighten up any space - and if it can be painted, I can paint it!
5 Albion Street
Broadstairs
CT10 1LU
Email: annabellehigginsart@gmail.com
Phone: +447756277774
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