Ann Marie Auricchio: From Commercial Murals to Fine Art
I first crossed paths with Ann Marie Auricchio a few years ago while diving deep into research for a project I was working on. You know those moments when you find an artist whose story is so intriguing, it practically begs you to keep asking questions? That’s Ann Marie. I needed a large-scale mural for my project and stumbled upon her work online. The more I spoke with her, the more I realized I was scratching the surface of a treasure trove of talent. From her roots in commercial murals to her current exploration of fine art collages, Ann Marie’s trajectory is nothing short of fascinating.
Fast forward to this week, and I had the chance to catch up with her. We delved into the moments that have defined her career. One major turning point was her residency at the Joan Mitchell Center in New Orleans. This wasn’t just a residency; it was her first-ever, four-month-long art boot camp. The experience was transformative. For the first time, Ann Marie had the space and support to fully prioritize her fine art career. The Joan Mitchell Center’s state-of-the-art studios offered her the freedom to dive deep into her work, leading to a profound shift in her approach.
Next came her residency at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. This six-week period in Virginia laser-beamed her focus. Her commitment to her practice solidified as she fine-tuned her creative vision. In March of this year, she moved into her dream studio, a milestone that marked the perfect space for continued exploration.
One of the most exciting shifts in Ann Marie's work has been her embrace of collage. This new direction started with her show earlier this year, featuring fuchsia paintings created during her Virginia residency. Inspired by these works, she began experimenting with collage, making color copies of her work and cutting them into new shapes. These small pieces quickly evolved into maquettes for large-scale installations.
Ann Marie’s proposals for the Alabama Contemporary Museum and the Wiregrass Museum resulted in exhibitions scheduled for 2025 and 2026. These large installations will explore how our external world impacts our internal landscape, particularly focusing on how overwhelming environments shape our mental state. It's the kind of thematic exploration that makes you pause and rethink your daily surroundings.
In her studio, Ann Marie has developed a meticulous process for creating her collages. She starts by printing photographs of her paintings and landscapes, then arranges them by color on her wall. This method allows her to create complex, organic shapes that serve as the basis for larger works. She hand-cuts shapes, mounts canvases, and trims substrates by hand. This painstaking process ensures the final pieces maintain the desired texture and quality, a nod to her obsessive attention to detail.
Another significant development in her work has been the incorporation of both acrylic and oil paints. After years of working exclusively in acrylic, Ann Marie has reintroduced oils into her practice. This combination allows her to achieve the rich, visceral quality she seeks in her paintings. (BTW, I love oils because the colors can be incredibly rich… more so than acrylics)
Her latest series, "The Omnipresence of Matter, Spirits, and Bewilderment," exemplifies her refined artistic vision. These 70+ by 60+ inch pieces represent the culmination of her journey to merge her commercial and fine art practices.
In a world where the art scene can often feel like an exclusive club, Ann Marie’s evolution reminds us that dedication and authenticity can still pave the way to remarkable places.