Annika Connor

Annika Connor is a Swedish-American artist. She is primarily known as a contemporary Romantic painter. Additionally, Connor is the founder and president of ACTIVE IDeaS Productions (AI Productions), which she explained is "an organization committed to the education, distribution, and development of emerging artists and the art community.” Connor was named a rising art star in 2014 by the Huffington Post. She currently resides in New York City.

Early life and education

Connor spent her early years in Atlanta, Georgia, and Sweden. She stated that she has been drawing and painting since she was a child. In high school, Connor attended classes at the Atlanta College of Art. She studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago where she received a bachelor of fine arts (BFA) degree with a concentration in painting and philosophy in 2002. Connor moved to New York City after her graduation and lived in London, England, from 2003 to 2004. She continued her education at the Art Students League of New York in 2005 and at the summer residency program for emerging and mid-career artists at the School of Visual Arts from 2005 to 2006. Connor completed a residency in 2013 at the National Museum of Fine Arts in Stockholm, Sweden.

Work

Connor described her paintings as "fragments from a daydream and portray a longing for lost fantasy and abundant pleasure." Watercolor was her medium of choice for several years until she rediscovered her love of oil paint after spending time at the National Museum of Fine Arts in Stockholm. The interiors, landscapes, and figures that populate her work seek to capture beauty in all forms. Connor focuses on colors, details, and patterns when painting. Her images have been adapted for use in home decor and fashion accessories. She designed pillows and wallpaper for Cavern Home, scarves and pocket squares for ShawLux, and prints for Little Paper Planes. After the 2016 United States presidential election, Connor set her sights on creating art that represents her "rage, shock, and dismay" for the political climate of America while at the same time she continues to create work that encapsulates the loveliness of the world.

Exhibitions

Solo

  • 2015 Flora/Fauna, The Untitled Space, New York City
  • 2014 Dawn to Decadence, Able Fine Art NY Gallery, New York City
  • 2013 The Hitchcock Kiss, QF Gallery, East Hampton, New York
  • 2011 Tuxedo Park, Bungalow 5, New York City

Group

  • 2017 She Inspires, The Untitled Space, New York City
  • 2017 Uprise/Angry Women, The Untitled Space, New York City
  • 2016 Mother Nature, 212 Arts, New York City
  • 2016 In The Raw: The Female Gaze on The [...], The Untitled Space, New York City
  • 2015 "The 'F' Word: Feminism in Art" A Group Show of 20 Female Artists, The Untitled Space, New York City
  • 2015 Human/Nature Exhibit, New York City
  • 2012 Watercolors, Phillips de Pury & Company, New York City
  • 2012 Opulent Vision, FordProject, New York City

Publications

  • 2015 Point Suite Contemporary Art Book
  • 2008 From Here Until Tomorrow

Honors

  • Grumbacher Gold Medallion Painting Prize