By Bonnie Gangelhoff
While many of her other painter friends enjoy capturing the breathtaking landscape near her central coastal home in California, Anne Laddon is just as happy painting man-made wonders such as the cafes, barbershops, and bars where daily lives unfold. “I love watching people,” Laddon says. “I am a voyeur.” She also relishes the stories people relate when they see her painting such scenes—everything from anecdotes to tall tales. Her whimsical, often colorful interiors evoke a certain humor and joy, which is her artistic intent, she says. “It sounds trite, but I love watching people having a good time,” she explains. Laddon admits she was as surprised as anyone when she won one of the top honors at the Estes Park Plein Air show in Colorado last summer. The judges chose her interior scene depicting a kitchen for an award in show dominated by landscapes.
Laddon explains that she made a decision to paint what she loved, and her creative instincts paid off. She is a member of Alla Prima International and the California Art Club. When asked about her future goals Laddon replies, “To paint as long as I can stand.” She is represented by Settlers West Contemporary Fine Art, Tucson, AZ; Snowfire Gallery, Estes Park, CO; SLOART Gallery, San Luis Obispo, CA; Richland Fine Art Gallery, Nashville, TN; and Argosy Gallery, Bar Harbor, ME.
Featured in “Artists to Watch” January 2004