Annabel de Vetten is a leading figurative artist, specialising in bringing iconic figures from the world of music, sport and cinema to life in her distinctive retro style.
Born and raised in Frankfurt, Germany, Annabel came to Birmingham, England when she was just 17, in order to pursue her passion for art. After graduating from Wolverhampton University with a BA Hons in Fine Art/Sculpture, Annabel put her 3D work to one side to progress her figurative painting.
Inspired by the likes of Andy Warhol and Victor Vasarely together with the retro influences of designers such as Verner Panton, the artist began to develop her figurative style, focussing on the female form. She worked to produce images of unknown women that were so sultry and alluring that they looked like stars in their own right. Annabel also began incorporating her other passion into her paintings- iconic movies.
Throughout her career she has remained fascinated with the concept of capturing a moment. Rather than merely depicting an actor, Annabel has worked to develop a style that would act as a freeze-frame, allowing the viewer to re-live the scene.
The juxtaposition of bold colours and stark backgrounds against the soft forms of the subject provide great contrast in the works. Details are stripped away and features are created using a series of graduating contours, allowing the viewer to explore each piece like a landscape.
More recently Annabel has looked to develop her subject matter further and has sought inspiration from her recent induction into the British Magical Society. As only the fourth woman to have ever been invited to join the Society- the oldest of its kind in the world- Annabel has looked to portray her passion for the magical arts through her paintings. Constantly working with playing cards, whilst mastering the magic tricks and techniques, Annabel became fascinated with the concept of creating her own cards, and as such began creating a series of ‘beautiful strangers’ in the roles of the Kings and Queens and trading Jacks for ‘Jills’.
Annabel also takes regular commissions for personal portraits. Working from life or provided photographs, Annabel is able to recreate her subject in her trademark minimalist retro style.
Over the past decade, Annabel has exhibited widely throughout the UK and in Europe, and in late 2007 exhibited at the prestigious Cancer Research UK event, The Pink Ice Ball at the Waldorf Hilton. Alongside the exhibition of her paintings at the high-profile event, which saw work selling to a number of well-known celebrities, Annabel kindly donated a piece of work to be auctioned on the evening, selling for over £3,000. Talks are also currently being held with several international playing card manufacturers regarding commissioning Annabel to design a number of limited edition card decks. Her work has received substantial media coverage and has been featured in a number of national publications including The Mail on Sunday, The Daily Mirror, Heat Magazine, Location, Location Magazine, Elle Decoration, and Marie Claire.
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