Oklahoma! at the Museum of Broadway

Back in the spring of 2021 I started collaborating with the Museum of Broadway for an installation inspired by the 1943 musical Oklahoma! for their new museum in the heart of Times Square. The founders Julie Boardman and Diane Nicoletti had a vision for a room you could walk through and feel like you were on the set of the show, as if you were walking through the cornfield on Aunt Eller's farm just like in the song "Oh What a Beautiful Morning!". This would be in the Gamechangers section of the museum, as Oklahoma! was the first hit show to bring "serious" dance into the theater.

I began with a few rounds of sketches and paintings to explore the movement and details of the cornstalks.

I then utilized my sketches to paint two horizontal pieces incorporating the landscape from the set of Aunt Eller's farm with the Oklahoma mountains in the background. These paintings would be blown up onto the walls of the museum and used as a backdrop for my super thick paint applications which I would paint on-site. The goal was to cover the walls in thick paint details and have the viewer walk through a faux cornfield to experience the landscape up-close.

I used pounds and pounds of paint using only palette knives on the actual walls to bring the whole piece to life. The installation was then completed with a barn, costumes, photos from the musical, and a walk-through cornfield with life-like cornstalks created by Square Design Inc of Brooklyn.

As an artist I was enchanted by the craftsmanship and creative touches throughout the museum, including intricate paper sculptures made from Showboat playbills by Rachel Marks, feathered walls in the Ziegfeld Follies room, an up-close look at the costumes from Hamilton, an eery room complete with the monstrous Phantom costume, and even the original Annie dress. Delightful, playful, and well-thought out, this museum is a joy for the senses.

The Museum of Broadway is now open to the public and you can get your timed tickets here!

The Art of Love

It's the season of love, roses, and all things pink. Today I'm sharing with you a few of my favorite things that exude the romantic sentiment of Valentine's Day. ❤️💖💕

I absolutely love this color block sweater by Wooden Ships (no pun intended!). I first discovered their sweaters at a local boutique last fall and have been a fan ever since. I love how they blend text with beautiful, modern color palettes. Bonus: they are family-owned and family-run with a no-waste approach---- all pieces are made-to-order from their eco-friendly factory in Bali. Cool huh? Go snag yourself one of their sweaters and use code annmarie15 for 15% off everything at wooden-ships.com!

I'm also in love with these cute ceramic mugs and earrings by Harper Jensen of Freckled Pottery.

Her earrings are available now for pre-order to arrive by Valentine's Day and her mugs will be available February 7th at 7pm. Don't miss out! (Images above and below by Freckled Pottery)

Lastly, I selected some of my favorite romantic pieces---- cherry blossoms, pink abstracts, roses, and beach babes---- available in a variety of sizes in my Print Shop at 25% off everything today. Links for each piece are listed below. 💕

Top to bottom, left to right:

Rite of Spring

Carnival No. 1

Love No. 3

Claret 2

February Cherries

Weeping Cherries

Italo and Gloria

La Vie en Rose

“Love art, love yourself, do what you have to do and what only you can do. Utter honesty is the only path to originality.” -Roberta Smith, NY Times Co-Chief Art Critic

Collectively Chromatic

I never really knew how much work it took to curate a large-scale show until I did it myself! I now have a whole new respect for curators, gallery workers, and art handlers. In 2016, I founded the East Coast Art Collective (ECAC) as a way to network with other like-minded artists, create more opportunities for collaboration, and reach wider audiences, particularly on Instagram. The collective is an invitation-only platform with about 20 artists from across the US east coast. It began with a few artists I had connected with through social media. Each artist had something similar that I admired: a unique application of color and/or texture. Two years later, I was asked to curate a group show including work by ECAC artists at the Glen Allen Arts Center in Richmond, VA. The show, titled "Collectivey Chromatic", is an exploration of our use of color through a variety of textural applications, including a comparison of similarities and differences in our techniques. The show includes over 70 paintings by 14 of our artists, from Charleston, SC up to New York, NY. Below are some photos from the opening reception and the show runs through March 10th. For purchases please contact Lauren Hall, Glen Allen Arts Center Gallery Manager at Lauren.Hall@artsglenallen.com. All work can also be previewed on the ECAC Instagram feed or on Glen Allen's website.