Anne Packard- A Renowned Painter Who Needs No Introduction

The world is full of talented gems that often persuade us with their talents. One such name is Anne Packard. Over the six decades, the contemporary artist/ painter Anne Packard is known for her creative voice into an inspired merging of imagination and image. Her amazing innovation of Cape Cod distilled views capture the essence of sky, sea, and shore. Born in 1933, she started to paint in her home studio in Provincetown, Massachusetts. She has received many awards and also features in books, press, television, and film. 

Anne Packard- Early Life

As a child, she traveled with her family from Hyde Park, NY to Provincetown, Massachusetts for summer months. Her grandmother, Zella, and grandfather Max Bohm were also artists. Max was also known for his leadership in the Provincetown establishments as a successful colony of the artist. This is the reason how Provincetown is so deeply rooted inside her. Anne Packard wanted to become an artist, but her parents didn’t want her to follow a bohemian lifestyle. 

They influenced Anne Packard to attend Bard College in Princeton, New Jersey where later she was married and raised 5 children. She spent time in Cape Cod that redevelop her love for art. The natural light and beauty invoke a sense of nostalgia. She used weathered shingles and driftwood as her canvasses and turned the table of her kitchen into her studio. Anne Packard’s paintings can be seen hanging on the walls of her home. This lead to owning her own gallery and establish her as one of the most sought-after artists in Cape Cod. 

Anne Packard Prints

Anne took up painting when she was 30 and her fifth child was 6 months old. 

Her prints were inspired by atmospheric, sparse seascape paintings. Her work depicts recurring themes and imagery like a solitary rowboat with an expanse of blue sky and water. Anne Packard prints have been celebrated regionally throughout her career. They have been presented in The Cape Cod Museum Art in MA. With their coastal imagery, her paintings have inspired many artists. Her style remains grounded in representing tradition and also vibrates with a mysterious and abstract quality. With her deft paint handling, Anne Packard creates complicated layers of moving tonalities. All her paintings evoke the sense of transcendence that draws the viewer in the hypnotic world, creating a sense of meditative awareness. 

Her Inspiration

Although, her inspiration is nature, yet she has one viewer in mind and that is her daughter, Cynthia who lives across the street. Anne has been painting for about 40 years, but it’s her daughter who went to the College of Art in Massachusetts and spends five days her week in her studio. Moreover, she is the one who pushes Anne into painting. 

Final Words

Artist Anne Packard is a keen observer of life and the world around. She loves to capture the expansive sky and hooked harbor of Provincetown. Her work is raw and mysterious. Her work is accompanied by text from the personal artist and contributing writers. 

Anne Packard is a contemporary realist painter residing in Provincetown, best known for her atmospheric seascape paintings. Born in Hyde Park, NY in 1933, Anne grew up in a small farming community. Although her family has deep artistic roots she was never encouraged to follow that same path when she was younger, however, she always believed that she was different from others and that she would take the road less traveled.

Anne remembers traveling to the coast as a young girl and getting lost in the dunes near the sea. Her grandfather was the famous romantic impressionist painter Max Bohm. Before the first world war, her grandfather was living in Europe and had established himself as a painter. However, once the war began he packed up his things and moved back to the states. He ended up in Provincetown due to its resemblance to the small European fishing towns that he had grown to love. He is credited with stating the artist colony in the Province town and is a large part of Anne’s love for the area.

Anne did not start her painting career until later in her life. She studied at Bard College, got married and began a family with her husband. Together they had 5 children, but it was far from a perfect marriage. After 18 years her husband left her for younger women and moved to Europe, leaving her solely responsible to take care of her 5 children. However, great hardship often comes great personal growth. In 1977 Anne and her family moved to Provincetown, MA. This had been a lifelong dream of Anne’s and inspired her to take up painting as a creative outlet for her fears.

Upon moving to Provincetown Anne began learning under the late Phil Malicoat. He vastly helped Anne build on her painting skill and Anne began selling her paintings by hanging them from the fence in her front yard. Trying to make a name for herself Anne participated in every open art contest, farmers market, and auction to try to sell her art. Anne relied on the sales of her art to help feed her family and recalls every sale as being a sign that she was improving.

Her art caught the eye of Robert Motherwell, who was a well-known artist in the area. He came by her house and bought all of her paintings multiple days in a row. Anne had no idea who he was at first, but once she learned who he was they met and bonded over their love of art. He inspired her to continue with her painting and helped push her art to new levels.

Eventually, Anne took a large risk and bought a small church building in the town to convert into an art gallery. She had always loved the building and upon stepping foot in it, she knew it was the right decision.

Anne’s paintings are now widely desired by many collectors throughout the world. Her Daughter, Cynthia Packard, followed in her footsteps and is also a well-known painter and owns a studio nearby. Anne says her daughter is able to help push her painting to new levels and overcome her fears. She says her daughter continues to help her painting grow.

Anne's paintings have been featured in a wide array of art exhibits including The Walker Cunningham Gallery, The Gallerie Sono, and the Arden Gallery. She continues to paint and showcase her works at her own gallery: THe Packard Gallery in Provincetown, MA.

Buying Anne Packard Wall Art

Dolphin Galleries carries all types of Anne Packard original paintings and prints. No matter what your price range is you can find something to add to your collection. Her beautiful Seascape paintings of cape code, the outer cape, Ireland, Italy, Greece, and Mexico will make a great addition to your collection. Take the risk out of buying art online by shopping at Dolphin Galleries!