Anne Moore Knapp has been an artist all her life. As a young child she was surrounded by artists: an Uncle and Aunt who were artists/designers. Her Grandparents were self employed upholsterers/designers/seamstresses. She had a creative problem solving Engineer Father (a designer of Douglas Dauntless) and hands on sewing Mom, and older siblings who shared their crayons!
As she grew up, she was lucky enough to have classical Art training (everyday) at Bishop Montgomery High School, a scholarship to Saturday drawing classes at Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. She took advantage of 2 1/2 years of free education at El Camino College where she took every art and photography class imaginable. She earned a full ride scholarship to Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA- but opted to go for Fine Arts/Art Ed at Western WA State University in Bellingham WA. She culminated with Art/Art Ed Degree and status as Art Specialist K-12.
She was married soon afterwards to Robert Knapp in 1973. The goal for her employment was to design art curriculum to support the curriculum in Elementary, Middle School and High School- but WA State dropped the program. Undeterred, she ran Arts and Crafts store for several years, winning notice for her layout that improved sales and creating displays/teaching classes to encourage artists. At this time, women managers could be forced out due to pregnancy, so she took a couple years off to focus on hearth and home and to explore fibercraft/weaving. Her next work foray was with Bon Marche/Macy's for 28 years (and they allowed her to stay on inspite of pregnancy), working as a Display artist and designer, ending up in management but still using all her creative problem solving skills!
Her involvement with Pastels came around 2000 and once she retired in 2008 from Macy's, she has been able to focus primarily on Pastels, Photography, Water Miscible Oils and to get back to her love of teaching in the schools. She has been involved with local and regional arts groups: Peninsula Art League, Plein Air WA and Northwest Pastel Society (she is currently on NPS Board in charge of International Shows).She has been the lead for Gig Harbor Arts Center Alliance and helped to write an Arts Element for the Gig Harbor Comprehensive Plan. She has had the opportunity to be involved in the design of their house and plan the gardens. Their home was featured in a Regional Magazine and they were part of the Gig Harbor Garden Tour in 2018. She was able to teach art classes in the schools and in her large studio in the home.
Since Covid (and enduring it twice), she has stopped teaching. She's focusing on growing healthy foods, supporting the local Food Bank, exploring her Art and guiding a grand daughter in developing her art skills. Life is full!
The artist may be contacted via email at annemknapp@gmail.com