Lamorinda Arts Alliance

Annette Laurel Batchelor

AnnettesArt.com
The artist’s background reflects a lifelong dedication to education, creativity, and the natural world. With academic training in music, mathematics, and education, she taught high school and junior college for more than three decades. During that time, nature played a central role in her life, experienced through hiking, travel, and the cultivation of gardens, quietly shaping her visual sensibilities.
Following retirement, she turned her focus to oil painting, concentrating primarily on landscapes. Working both en plein air and in the studio, she continues to develop her skills through workshops, online study, and independent research. Her work is characterized by a painterly approach with an impressionistic influence, emphasizing atmosphere and a sense of place rather than detailed realism.
She has exhibited her work in local, national, and international juried shows. The most meaningful aspect of her practice remains the connection formed when a painting resonates with viewers and becomes part of their everyday environment.

Artist's Statement

I am inspired by the quiet power of place—coastlines, forests, open landscapes —and by the subtle relationships among light, color, and atmosphere. Many places I have explored have shaped my visual language and continue to influence my work. I paint both in plein air and in the studio, allowing direct observation and memory to work together in each composition.
My paintings lean toward a painterly, semi-impressionistic style. Rather than strict realism, I focus on capturing mood, movement, and emotion, using expressive brushwork and layered color to suggest a sense of story. I am drawn to moments that invite the viewer to slow down, look closer, and imagine themselves within the scene.
I have been honored to exhibit my work in local, national, and international juried shows and to receive several awards along the way. While recognition is meaningful, the greatest reward comes when someone connects with a painting—finding calm, inspiration, or personal meaning—and chooses to bring that work into their home.