Annik Després

Originally from Québec, Annik grew up on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. A graduate of the Visual Arts program at the University of Ottawa, she later studied oil painting at the Ottawa School of Art to eventually focus on still life.

Annik moved her studio, Atelier Annik, from Ottawa to Prince Edward County in the summer of 2014 in order to dedicate herself fully to painting. Annik quickly became active in the local arts community, joined the PEC Studio Tour in 2015, served as 2016 Co-Chair and 2017 Chair of the of the annual Prince Edward County Art in the County exhibition and sits on the PEC Arts Council Executive Board. She has participated in the juried show Art in the County in 2016, 2017 and 2018. Her painting Before Winter won the Art in the County 2018 Otto Rogers Award of Excellence.

Prior to 2014, Annik focused on still life painting because of its minimal demands on space and time and was charmed beyond expectation. “The still life invites you to get up close and personal with the subject in order to study the dynamics of form, light and colour, seize an idea and communicate an emotion”. Inspired by the beauty the County’s countryside, Annik is now also exploring its wide-open spaces in her paintings. As her still lifes and landscapes combine simple composition and rich colour, they offer the observer a subtle, yet compelling experience.

Annik has had solo shows in Prince Edward County, Ottawa and Toronto and her paintings can be seen by arranging a visit to her studio and dropping by the Maison Depoivre Art Gallery. Her works reside in private collections in Canada and abroad. Listen to an interview with Annik. Sur la route des arts, Ici Radio-Canada: https://ici.radio-canada.ca/premiere/emissions/grands-lacs-cafe/episodes/408152/audio-fil-du-samedi-26-mai-2018