11 years ago, I majored in fine arts and printmaking was my focus in Uni.

My style back then was representational, it had figures, recognizable things in it, everything was sketched and planned.

I have been painting abstract now for 4 years as my job and haven’t made a print since I graduated Uni in 2009. I paint in a very intuitive way. Not really knowing what the work will become. I play and create one mark or pour at a time. I make a mark and then respond to it with the next mark or layer.

When C.A.P. Studio in Chiang Mai invited me to make a run of prints, I was so excited and curious to see how my new style and practice could be explored in etching.

The master printers at C.A.P. Studio helped me to translate my current style and ideas into etchings. The process involves making marks on metal plates, use acid to etch into the plate, filling the etched marks with ink, wiping away the excess ink from the plate, then putting the plate on paper and pulling it through a press. 

Each print is individually printed. They may vary an unnoticeable bit, but these printmakers are serious professionals. Serious about what they do, but also a lot of fun to hang out with. “Hi Am,  Dream, and Liam!”

This is a two-color print. One plate had marks in blue and the other had yellow. The white circles are cut out of the plates and that’s what makes the raised, embossed effect. The C.A.P. team, inked, pulled, and printed. Kitikong Tilokwattanotai, the director, gave input on the processes I could use that would be similar to my painting process. I made the marks, color choices, approved the printing, signed and dated each print. It was such a wonderful experience. So easy, they know every way to create any effect you could dream of.

They also know and appreciate the beauty of etchings, there is a gorgeous amount of visual noise in the white parts of the print where the plate has little scratches marks that pick up the ink. Can you see that in the detailed shots? Kitikong encouraged me to make my prints special and do something that I can’t do in my painting studio. That was when we decided on doing a circle cut out on the plate to create white space and that beautiful embossed detail. I am so grateful to have worked with C.A.P.. We made a total edition of 30, 1/30-30/30. The studio has 15 of my prints which they will give to their annual donors, and I got 15.

I released these prints here on my website two days ago under “Paintings” and only have 5 left as of today. If you are interested in a pair please head over there or contact me to put in your order while there are still a few in stock.

SOLD to private collectors

Quick View

"Where The Fuck Am I?" "Right Where I am." etchings

€400.00

I am looking forward to the next time I will be able to be back in Chiang Mai so that we can do another print or two. I can really imagine this being a long term collaboration.

Thank you to C.A.P. Studio in Chiang Mai for hosting me this year in your studio.

Thank you to you, for reading and supporting me in this artist life.

Take care, stay healthy,

Anna

It’s been one of my dreams to paint murals. And in 2018 I had the pleasure of painting two murals. One in Chiang Mai, Thailand at the artist residency MaiSpace that I attended, and the second was at Metropolink Urban Art Festival here in Heidelberg Germany in the summer. I love painting large scale paintings on canvas, so I was so excited to bring my painting to walls. Metropolink has been a wonderful addition to Heidelberg, bringing beautiful art to the public all around town.

I love the large scale, the challenge. Translating my style and technique into vertical and large work is a fun and rewarding undertaking. I love making work of different sizes (scales). Usually I begin paintings with them lying horizontally on the floor, using very fluid paints and water, but I had to adjust my style to work on vertical walls.

In 2018, Metropolink took over one street in a former US army barracks here in Heidelberg. The homes have been abandoned for 5 years and have become overgrown and we artists occupied the street and brought it to life for a week of art and music. I was asked to paint the interior of an officer’s garage.

Metropolink recently published this catalogue of the last two years of festivals. It is avaiable locally at several cafes in heidelberg and it can be purchased by contacting orga@metropolink-festival.de. The zine is a large A3 size with full page spreads of artist portraits and photographs of the murals that were painted. A beautiful portrait of me was taken in the catalogue. You can see all my wrinkles and freckles, it was taken on one of the hottest days of the year but it captured me really well.

This coming year’s Metropolink Urban Art Festival goes from Jul 5 - Jul 21.

Mark your calendars. It will be another wonderful year!

Thanks for reading lovelies,

Anna (Olive Green Anna)

2018 was an incredibly prolific year, we both (Dominik, my husband and myself) brought out so much new art, it is wild. We are finishing up the final bits of our year long collaboration which started with a crowdfund in Jan 2018. To see more about that project visit dominikbaer.com

2019 is an exciting year because we will be welcoming our second baby boy into our lives at the end of February, we are going into our third year as almost full-time artists, and we will be creating new artwork. There are many things that are still up in the air about this year. Dominik’s tour dates and my exhibition dates are becoming finalised but we know there are exciting things to come up that we can’t anticipate.

I have been using this intentional goal planner called the Cultivate What Matters goal planner and it has helped me to get clarity about things that are important to me right now, and what I want to prioritise moving forward. I have 4 art related goals that I am focusing on so far in 2019… here goes.

1. Rest + relax and treat myself

2. Take time to make / prioritize studio time

3. Make a living on my art

4. Write and launch my 1st e-course

In the next few blog posts, I will share more details about each of these art related goals.

My other two, more personal, goals are…

1. shower Dominik with support, love, and booty ; )

2. Be present and active with my sons.

What are your goals for 2019?
Thanks for reading lovelies,

Anna

This is a major limiting belief that I have carried with me the past 10 years, or maybe lifetime.

I cannot be a brilliant and prolific artist as well as an attentive and nurturing mother.

My career as an artist began, with motherhood. Before this, I taught art for 5 years, ran an online vintage shop, and lead creative workshops. But not until 3 years ago, while pregnant with Vigo, did I start painting for me and selling my work.

Upon becoming a mother I became an ‘real’ artist.

I don’t yet know where this belief came from, I may have to seek counselling on the subject. There is a pressure for mothers in general to always be present with their children. To be there for them all the time. There is also a strong natural inclination to do so.

But as a working mama, who wants to thrive at my job and passion and in motherhood, I consistently am confronted with this self doubt about whether I am falling short in both respects.

“I cannot,'“ is just not true. Now, I have decided that I can…

What could this look like, what could being a great mom and a great artist look like? This is what I began imagining…

-I take chunks of time in the studio to perfect my craft and build a body of work. Ideally at least 3 days a week. Sharing the childcare time with my husband Dominik.

-I make beautiful work that is unique to me, that speaks to and moves people. That adds beauty to this life and (at times) bleak world.

-I make a good living as a visual artist, I could do what I love and support my family. We could be flexible and free in our lifestyle and I could be making and selling art to pay all our expenses.

-I want to be WITH my children. Enjoying and delighting in them when we spend time together.

-My children (1 child so far) are so beautiful and fun. I want to savour my time with them, especially when they are so small, cuddly and their brains are making millions of new connections a day.

-Let go of MOM GUILT and know that I am most happy when I am both working in the studio and spending time with my babies. If I were a full-time stay-at-home-mama, I would be pretty miserable. A happy, healthy, and balanced mama is of great benefit to my offspring. A miserable and overwhelmed mama who is around all the time, would not be best for their little hearts’ and brains’ maturity.

I am so grateful to share the parenting role 50/50 with my husband. This has freed me up to really take time with my son Vigo as well as put in good and consistent hours in my studio and art career. What a dream scenario.

My limiting belief is being dismounted and a few of my goals for this coming year are to…

• Be present and active with my boys (yes we are having another boy.)

• Take time to make, prioritise my studio practice.

Wish me luck! I’ve been practicing this the past two years, with Vigo, but I am so excited and delighted to add a new baby to our lives and see how we can make this work, while having two small children in our home and lives.

What is a limiting belief that you believe? Imagine the possibilities if this were possible. What would it look like? It is possible.

Decide that you can.

Thanks for reading lovelies.

Anna

I have been an artist, making art about 30 hours a week for 2.5 years. What an honor. #blessed.

When I think back on it so far, I have made quite a bit of progress in some surprising areas. There have been a few things that I didn’t expect, ways that I have grown and truths about art making that I have learned since being a practicing artist.

Abandoning Perfectionism:

I have not made a perfect piece of work in my years of making. I have made some decent work, some good work, a few great pieces, but nothing perfect. I cannot expect this of myself. I should have high expectations and standards for my work that I call finished, but I cannot expect perfection. I wouldn’t make anything if that were the goal.

making before I had any ideas:

Where do you get your ideas? Someone asked me the other day. I remember just starting out painting again and not knowing where to even start. I painted nests and birds, landscapes, and portraits, I bought art supplies and canvas sizes and shapes that were on sale, to just start making again.

I have found that the ideas come when we start, and they keep coming if we keep making. When I don’t know what to do in the studio, just some color mixing, tidying, canvas prepping, collage material clipping, or other such studio tasks usually give me the time to come up with some great ideas.

Process based art making:

What keeps me sane as an artist, is focusing on expression, play and experimentation in the studio. I just love working with materials and getting into the work. I love adding layers, pushing fluid paints, writing stream of consciousness. My work’s energy is in the making of it, the finished product is secondary.

Sales can be service:

This has been one of the most surprising things.

I am noticing that painting hasn’t only brought me healing and insight, but it has also spoken to others and brought them some beautiful reflection too. I was not expecting that such a selfish act, as painting for myself, could actually end up being an act of service to others.

Addicted to the studio:

I am also surprised by this. When I was teaching art, my own artistic practice was near non-existent. My art would call my name, but I would ignore it because I was so out of practice, didn’t know where to start and felt so out of touch with my artist. Now, if I am out of the studio for 3 days I start getting pretty antsy and have to get into the studio, even if it is just for a short time during my child’s nap.

Thanks for reading lovelies,

Anna (Olive Green Anna)

What is your biggest struggle right now, when it comes to art?

Dominik took our shoes to the local shoemaker to get them repaired. He saw the space was open for rent and came home and told me. I immediately thought, 'this could be our gallery.'  The Zeitgenießische was born.

Zeitgenießische' is a made up play on words in german. It sounds like the word for 'contemporary.' but actually means 'time-enjoying'. We enjoyed the past 6 months in our Zeitgenießische pop up gallery so much.

I am so proud, proud of this venture, proud of our participating artists, proud of our community, proud of my family, proud of myself. 

Dominik Baer (my partner in art and life), and I signed the lease on the gallery and decided to make a little space to:

• support the art scene in Heidelberg-Pfaffengrund.

• present our work, curate and present the work of our contemporaries.

We had an incredible exhibition season. We have had 7 shows in 5 months thus far, 3 solo shows from locally based artists, 3 international group shows, and one bike art show.  We even showed two artists' work from our little borough of Heidelberg, Pfaffengrund. #pfaffengrundnightlife

I fell in love with the space. The big storefront window, the high ceilings, the scuffed up floors holding reminisce of the shoemaker, who occupied the space for 40 years before us. How special to occupy a space with such a history of craftsmanship. The space is so charming.

And got to know our part of town better. I got to know local lottery kiosk and flower shop owners by bringing posters by for events all summer.  Felt more part of a local and international art community then ever before. We had such nice little artist and collector gatherings on sunday afternoons during our regular opening hours.

This exhibition season is coming to a close. We have an artist talk on August 29th, 2018, with Jessica Serran and then a solo show with yours truly on September 7th, and then we are closing the pop up gallery to the public.

The Zeitgennießische Galerie, Heidelberg, is not dead, I have a strong feeling that it may pop up again sometime.  Maybe even next summer, because I have loved running the gallery, and having the open space.

I am however, realizing that I would like a break from organizing exhibitions, and hosting, I am going to be focusing on making new work, applying to residencies, and trying to get my work into other galleries. This next season is going to be a season of focus on my own practice, making what I need to make, and pushing my work out, to hopefully make more opportunities open up in our future.

This gallery was a risk, a financial and time investment for us (me especially), but I am so thrilled to have welcomed so many of you into the gallery and exposed you to great art in person.

Thank you for your continuing support and for joining us on this artistic journey. What will the future hold? What will we stumble upon next?

Anna

We found out last month, when bringing our shoes to get repaired at the local shoemaker's, that the shoemaker has passed on. He was well on in years, but it is still sad. This Schuhmeister was a staple in our part of town. He and his predecessor had been making and repairing shoes for decades in this little storefront space. 

When we saw the space, I immediately thought this could be our gallery.  I have always had a fascination with giving things a new life. My love and passion for vintage clothing, my delight in collage using old books and materials. I am honoured to be in this space, which hosted skilled craftsmen. We are overjoyed to bring new life into the space and present our craft and the amazing work of our contemporaries. 

This charming little space was available and so, here it is: The Zeitgenießische Galerie, Heidelberg. "Zeitgenießische Galerie" is a made up word sounding like the word for Contemporary Gallery and meaning the "time savoring gallery". 

I've been dreaming up some curatorial projects and have been wanting to start a gallery to show my work and curate work of my contemporaries. Dominik and I are are going to host art exhibitions, artist meet ups, concerts, workshops and hopefully some pop up shop/cafes. 

So the Zeitgenießiche Gallery, Heidelberg was born. 

We're celebrating a big opening in just one week. April 7th we will be opening our doors with some of my new work and new tunes from Dominik Baer & his band. We're not only celebrating the opening of a new creative space in Heidelberg, but also the successful crowdfund of Dominik's new Visual Album "Colliding In The Dark". 

Come visit and join in the festivities. They will be begin at 7pm and go until 10pm. Kranichweg 35, Pfaffengrund, Heidelberg is the address. Just look for the sweet little storefront and the crowd of arty people. 

If you have been needing a space to try a creative project idea or present your handmade art or goods please feel free to contact us. We are excited to collaborate with other creatives and showcase amazing makers in the area!

Thank you for joining us on this journey. 

Thanks for reading lovelies.

Anna

I'm proud to present a little clip about my thoughts and process behind the painting I did for Dominik's song FALL. It's my first monochromatic painting since my printmaking days in Uni. 

https://www.olivegreenanna.com Olive Green Anna - Behind The Painting - "Fall" Every one of Dominik Baer's new songs and music videos also comes with a large-scale abstract expressionistic painting by his prolific partner Olive Green Anna!

Making work in response to Dominik's calendar album #collidinginthedark has been a challenge so far. Each song is completely different, which calls for different visual elements. This is my second piece for the album, I am excited and curious to see how the next 10 turn out.

thanks for reading and watching lovelies,

Anna

This summer I was in my beautiful outdoor studio at least 3 days a week. Dom and I are splitting the work schedule, taking time for our creative practices and taking time for Vigo, our baby boy. At the start of summer we took a few days and cleared out our bike shed and transformed it into this lovely outdoor studio space. Here are a few shots of the space before. 

before

after

We had a budget close to nothing, so we cleared it out, painted some banisters, removed some disintegrating plastic sheeting and voila' I had a new studio space. 

It's been great to work outside. because I have been incorporating spray paint into my work. I began using spray because I did a small public work for Metropolink urban art festival in Heidelberg, and was commissioned to paint a few bike frames for Ruprecht Rides. Spraying outside is always good.

But also working outdoors has been wonderfully influential to my work and process. I paint when it is light out, my day has a bit more of a natural rhythm. I also have left a few paintings out in the rain, and the wind has blown leaves into the wet paint, etc, which just adds that extra bit of wild to my work. 

My current work is about wild and influence, chaos and control. I've had a beautiful summer in this studio and can't wait for warm days to come back for me to really be able to enjoy it again. 

My time in my beautiful outdoor studio is coming to an end for this year. It's getting a little bit too cold. I'll be moving inside soon. 

I'll be sharing some exciting news about upcoming artistic adventures so stay tuned! I actively share my work on Instagram and studio sneak peeks. So if you'd like to head over there,

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Thanks for reading lovelies, 

Anna

I've been reading and working through this book called The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. It's an artist recovery program. It's supposed to take 12 weeks. Whoops. I started it in august last year and am on "Week 11" now. It's been an incredible journey to recover my creative self. I would recommend this course/program to anyone who feels blocked as an artist. Anyone who wants to take time to make and discover/recover your artist.

One of the tasks for this week is to list 5 ways I have changed since beginning my recovery:

“A painting is never finished- it simply stops in interesting places.”

— Paul Gardner

1. I have practiced making work consistently. Before the program I was making, but I hadn't been making consistently since college, 8 years ago! Yikes. This is because my day job has fallen away and I have taken the time to make. I also have been diminishing my inner perfectionist, and seeing my work as a practice, without the pressure for perfection. Calling works done when they reach an interesting point.
2. I now call myself an artist. I have never been able to call myself an artist. I was always a creative person. I was an art teacher. I was an art major. But never an ARTIST.. Now, I can say and believe that I am an artist. It's a big step. You other artists know what I'm talking about!
3. I have sold over 15 works. I hadn't sold any work for 8 years either and this past 7 months I have sold over 15 paintings. That's something to be proud of. It's an honor to have people start and add to their art collections with my work.
4. I have begun nurturing my artist. In this 12 week (step) recovery program Julia Cameron encourages us to do morning pages, 3 pages of writing, and taking our artist on weekly "artist dates." Artist Dates are special times where you do something with and for your artist. Taking quality time for your artist and pampering her. Before the program and often still, I am quite cruel to my artist. Saying negative things and doubting myself. But nurturing this artist and speaking kindly to her, has really helped me to begin to flouish. (haha. so cheesy but seriously!)
5. I have been feeling less guilt about living the life I want to live. I have major guilt about being an artist. My whole life I have had immense pressure, mostly from myself to be altruistic. I always believed that being selfless is the best and most rewarding way to live. It turns out, for me, that nurturing myself and living the life I want to live as an artist is nothing to feel guilty about, because in turn I am filled up enough to give back.

I am by no means finished with my recovery. I have however made amazing progress. I doubted I would even finish this self-help book/program. Writing my morning pages is something that I love to do and has become quite meditative. It has unblocked me in many ways. Seeing the change in me throughout The Artist's Way has kept me coming back. I have one more week to complete the course and I am proud I have made it this far, but most proud of how much I have changed.

Five ways I want to change further:

1. prioritize making art above house chores.
2. be open to new medium for making my work and avenues of selling and getting my stuff out there
3. continue doing morning pages, first thing in the morning
4. actually take my artist on frequent dates
5. Believe that being a prolific and brilliant artist is the best thing for me, my family, freinds, and the universe.

Thanks for reading lovelies.

Anna

P.S. Thank you Julia Cameron for your inspiring guidance!