Anne Cox

Elizabeth Anne Cox

eacox@nraonline.com

My art is primarily expressed through interaction with my students. At the present time I am teaching watercolor at three senior centers in Fairfax county and several different classes through the Fairfax County Parktakes including: drawing, cartooning, oshie, papermaking and doll making. I have taught papermaking and puppetry at the Workhouse Art Center. I also teach doll making, wool working and other period skills at the Virginia Renaissance Faire where I am known as Grandma Shepherd.

I received a traditional American art education in Ohio at; Ohio State University, Bachelor of Art Education, 1975 and Columbus College of Art And Design, Bachelor of Commercial Art 1974. This explains why I enjoy and respect realism in art. Both my artwork and teaching tend in that direction, but creativity does not thrive without innovation and a teacher must always be learning.

I have studied and still study Japanese arts and crafts, primarily at The Washington Japanese School of Arts and Crafts, under Gego Master Doll Instructor, Akiko Keene, from 1994 to present. With Akiko I have displayed my art work and taught at the Smithsonian for the Asian Pacific Festival, at the Japanese embassy’s art gallery and in Washington, D.C. for the Cherry blossom festival.  Because of this oriental influence I frequently incorporate oshie in my watercolor, touch on Chinese brush painting in my watercolor classes, enjoy making pictures totally from paper pulp or handmade washi paper and design dolls for Hinamatsuri.