ANNE HANSEN, artist
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
anitabike@gmail.com
BIO & STATEMENT
(Anne has been painting prolifically throughout Covid, but is not much showing or publicizing her art.)
In June 2021, Anne took a side-trip in her artistic subject matter, from birds to protest art. Please see recent posts.
When Anne Hansen moved to Victoria in 2007, who would have thought that she'd create over 350 paintings of the black oystercatcher?
Anne's bird art soared with her June 2010 solo debut of My Body of Oystercatchers at the Gallery at the Mac, in Victoria. To start 2017, her Site C protest paintings hang in the Greater Victoria Central Library downtown branch.
In an interview on CBC radio, she notes, "There are many west coast artists painting beautiful pictures of whales, bears, eagles and herons -- but who is painting oystercatchers?"
Anne was raised by birdwatching parents. It's no surprise that she has taken bird art to the extreme. She takes pride in the whimsy and freedom of being a self-taught artist.
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Before arriving on the west coast, for several years she was an administrative assistant in the Drama Program at the University of Toronto. She is an avid urban cyclist and environmentalist.
One of her artworks usually accompanies her to protests in defense of the environment, such as the 30-kilometre Salmon Are Sacred walk from Sidney to Victoria in 2010.
In 2011, as part of a fundraiser for the Ancient Forest Alliance, Anne purchased the naming rights to a newly-discovered lichen species in honour of her deceased husband, the legendary Guelph horticulturist Henry Kock (Victoria News, December 28, 2011).
In January 2013, Anne blacked out a beautiful, big coastal painting of hers ("Red Sky In Morning, Sailors Take Warning, also known as "Oystercatchers #346") at a public protest outside the Enbridge oil pipeline hearings in Victoria, as reported in the Victoria Times Colonist and Monday Magazine. "This is what our coast will look like after the oil spill," she says. "We have to get away from the carbon economy, and adopt renewable energy policies like they have in Denmark and Germany."
In the summers of 2014, 2015, and 2016, Anne hiked the spectacular Berg Lake Trail to the base of Mt. Robson, BC.
In 2017, Anne started the Not-Our-President Book Club as a rebuke to the so-called newly-elected U.S. presidency. She also attended the famous Women's March in Victoria, with an extremely unflattering artwork featuring the genital-grabbing braggart.
In November 2017, Anne will celebrate 10 years of painting oystercatchers, with two new paintings featuring 10 oystercatchers.
In 2018 & 2019, Anne re-discovered downhill skiing. She went to Mt. Washington on Vancouver Island several times, which has inspired more art.
EXHIBITIONS
See full list under "Exhibitions" page on this blog.
Anne Hansen has organized dozens of showing opportunities for herself, including her solo debut at the Gallery at the Mac (Victoria, BC) in 2010. She has had repeat exhibitions at the James Bay Art Walk, Oak Bay Studio Tour, Oak Bay Library, and James Bay Coffee and Books. Her work has also been featured at the Oak Bay Marina Restaurant, Blighty's Bistro, Sooke Harbour House, and the First International Seabird Conference. Her first exhibition was in Toronto in 1987, long before she saw her first oystercatcher.
Anne's bird art soared with her June 2010 solo debut of My Body of Oystercatchers at the Gallery at the Mac, in Victoria. To start 2017, her Site C protest paintings hang in the Greater Victoria Central Library downtown branch.
In an interview on CBC radio, she notes, "There are many west coast artists painting beautiful pictures of whales, bears, eagles and herons -- but who is painting oystercatchers?"
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| Portrait of the artist as a young girl |
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Before arriving on the west coast, for several years she was an administrative assistant in the Drama Program at the University of Toronto. She is an avid urban cyclist and environmentalist.
One of her artworks usually accompanies her to protests in defense of the environment, such as the 30-kilometre Salmon Are Sacred walk from Sidney to Victoria in 2010.
In 2011, as part of a fundraiser for the Ancient Forest Alliance, Anne purchased the naming rights to a newly-discovered lichen species in honour of her deceased husband, the legendary Guelph horticulturist Henry Kock (Victoria News, December 28, 2011).
In January 2013, Anne blacked out a beautiful, big coastal painting of hers ("Red Sky In Morning, Sailors Take Warning, also known as "Oystercatchers #346") at a public protest outside the Enbridge oil pipeline hearings in Victoria, as reported in the Victoria Times Colonist and Monday Magazine. "This is what our coast will look like after the oil spill," she says. "We have to get away from the carbon economy, and adopt renewable energy policies like they have in Denmark and Germany."
In the summers of 2014, 2015, and 2016, Anne hiked the spectacular Berg Lake Trail to the base of Mt. Robson, BC.
In 2017, Anne started the Not-Our-President Book Club as a rebuke to the so-called newly-elected U.S. presidency. She also attended the famous Women's March in Victoria, with an extremely unflattering artwork featuring the genital-grabbing braggart.
In November 2017, Anne will celebrate 10 years of painting oystercatchers, with two new paintings featuring 10 oystercatchers.
In 2018 & 2019, Anne re-discovered downhill skiing. She went to Mt. Washington on Vancouver Island several times, which has inspired more art.
A.jpg) |
| Henry Kock (Anne's husband) horticulturist & activist extraordinaire (1952-2005) |
EXHIBITIONS
See full list under "Exhibitions" page on this blog.
Anne Hansen has organized dozens of showing opportunities for herself, including her solo debut at the Gallery at the Mac (Victoria, BC) in 2010. She has had repeat exhibitions at the James Bay Art Walk, Oak Bay Studio Tour, Oak Bay Library, and James Bay Coffee and Books. Her work has also been featured at the Oak Bay Marina Restaurant, Blighty's Bistro, Sooke Harbour House, and the First International Seabird Conference. Her first exhibition was in Toronto in 1987, long before she saw her first oystercatcher.
