Maryland, Virginia and District of Columbia
Art
by Ann Erskine
Helen Sampson and Annina
Luck
Helen Sampson has been living and working
as a graphic artist and photographer in the 
Washington D.C. area for fifteen years. Previous to
that, she attended the University of Florida where she studied archaeology/anthropology,
and majored in art history at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she
received her BFA. Her photographs have been exhibited at the Touchstone,
Tartt, Perry House, Savage Mill gallery, Glenview Mansion (4 person show).
Her work is presently represented at the Art League of Alexandria, the Canton
Gallery in Baltimore, and various corporations in the DC and Baltimore area.
She concentrates primarily on black and white photography, a few of which
she sepia tones and handtints with Marshall's dyes. Recently she has used
imaging techniques, bringing together various architectural and human elements.
(left: Helen Sampson, Glimpses of New York on 11th Street, DC;
right: Helen Sampson, Untitled)
"Although I am not opposed to restoration, it seems
to me that by standing abandoned or in disrepair for any length 
of
time, these structures - be they sculpture, telephone boxes, theaters, or
homes achieve a nobility that is lost once they are restored. There has
been a loss of appreciation for the inner city just as it is. 
Rather
than search for an answer to the problem of 'urban blight and abandonment,'
I would choose to impart hints of value and beauty found in those parts
of the city not ordinarily thought of as worthy of notice. By doing so,
I attempt to capture works that have long been neglected, taken for granted,
and tell many quiet stories."
"I photograph those things left behind, tossed aside,
taken for granted, generally in a state of disrepair, with a previous condition
of regal splendor or importance, and by doing so, force them to be seen
new again." (left: Helen Sampson, New Orleans Fantasy;
right: Helen Sampson, Rebecca Lee and 14th Street Shadows)
Annina Luck is a Swiss-American artist living in Baltimore,
Maryland. Annina started painting five years ago. She is largely self-taught
and lucky enough to have grown up in an artistic family. Other influences
include the Southwest, Swiss folk art, and Byzantine and Medieval mosaics
and paintings.
Annina's
work is colorful and whimsical. She uses bright acrylic colors, black magic
marker and high-gloss varnish on tagboard, foamcore, canvas and terra cotta.
Annina has designed several characters and embellishments that reappear
in different compositions. Annina creates paintings and murals. She uses
her designs on ceramic pots, floor cloths, and textiles. (left: Annina
Luck, Untitled)
Annina's most recent projects include creating a Christmas
tree for the National Aquarium in Baltimore, designing an invitation for
a reception honoring Swiss balloonist Bertrand Piccard and exhibiting her
paintings at the several cafes and bookstores throughout Baltimore.
rev. 11/9/00
Read more columns on Maryland, Virginia
and District of Columbia Art by Ann Erskine in Resource
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Copyright 2008 Traditional Fine Arts Organization, Inc., an Arizona nonprofit corporation. All rights
reserved.
Helen Sampson has been living and working
as a graphic artist and photographer in the 
Washington D.C. area for fifteen years. Previous to
that, she attended the University of Florida where she studied archaeology/anthropology,
and majored in art history at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she
received her BFA. Her photographs have been exhibited at the Touchstone,
Tartt, Perry House, Savage Mill gallery, Glenview Mansion (4 person show).
Her work is presently represented at the Art League of Alexandria, the Canton
Gallery in Baltimore, and various corporations in the DC and Baltimore area.
She concentrates primarily on black and white photography, a few of which
she sepia tones and handtints with Marshall's dyes. Recently she has used
imaging techniques, bringing together various architectural and human elements.
(left: Helen Sampson, Glimpses of New York on 11th Street, DC;
right: Helen Sampson, Untitled)
