Paint Annapolis is on the way! Learn more about the juried artists and get yourself ready for this historic Plein air painting festival.
We’re excited to welcome Ahmed Ansari from Chantilly, Virginia as a juried artist for Paint Annapolis 2022! Originally spending 25 years as a graphic designer, Ahmed was diagnosed with severe glaucoma in 2008. After five years of struggling against the loss of most of his peripheral vision, he left his field of work and returned to his first love of artistic expression–painting.
Ahmed was born and raised in Mumbai. While in college, he worked doing textile, jewelry and commercial design including Arabic calligraphy.
“My favorite subjects to paint are the wide vistas of mountain ranges, the ocean and marshlands. I particularly enjoy painting marshland and water; marshland grass is deceivingly simple until one spends time with it in different lights and seasons. Painting wide vistas of any kind reminds me of God’s majesty and I’m continuously humbled and in awe.“
– Ahmed Ansari
Ahmed left India and worked for nine years as a graphic designer and art director in advertising agencies in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. In 1990, he immigrated to the U.S. when he was hired by an international advertising agency in Boulder, Colorado.
“Plein air painting has become my passion; my outdoor sketches, photo references and memory of the light and shadow come back with me to my studio at the Torpedo Factory Art Center where I have been painting in oil and acrylics. The joy and happiness I get from creating the work is mirrored in the faces of those who collect my work.“
– Ahmed Ansari
For more than 30 years, Mr. Ansari’s commercial work focused on digital media and web design. In the last few years he has focused his attention on his life-long love of fine art painting.
Learn more about Ahmed and read more about his many achievements, on his website here.
Maryland Federation of Art Blog 