About
Bio
Photo by Marlene Mendez / Annette Pozzuolo-Alessi is shown painting at a Plein Air Festival with Tyme Gallery, Havertown, PA, October 2010.
Award-winning fine artist Annette Alessi defines her job as “opening the heart of another.” Finding inspiration in the Brandywine Valley that has been her lifelong home as well as in places she visits, Annette’s pastels and paintings evoke a sense of wonder.
Her diverse body of work includes figure drawings, landscape paintings, pastels inspired by loved ones and animals, commissioned portraits and book illustrations. She has a particular knack for children’s portraiture. Her work conveys a timeless sense of warmth and humanity.
Trained as a fashion illustrator, Annette spent the first 10 years of her career in the advertising industry, where she worked as a fashion designer, a graphic designer, an art director, an illustrator and a portraiture artist. Annette began exhibiting starting in 2002 with figurative works in a series called “The History of Fashion.”
After taking a hiatus to start her family, she happened upon a group of artists painting in plein air and decided to teach herself how to paint landscapes with pastels. Her eye for beauty and design transitioned easily from gowns and jackets to country lanes, waterfalls and woodlands.
In 2006, Annette met Karl Kuerner, a protege of Andrew Wyeth, at the Darlington Art Center. Karl became a mentor, introducing Annette to oil painting, which eventually became her primary medium.
Annette continues to work in pastel as well as oil. Her work, including a large “Brandywine Valley Landscapes” collection, has exhibited locally and nationally and appeared in numerous published collections.
Annette loves to share her skill and passion with others and has taught adults and teens for many years. She has taught “Paint Along” classes for adults held at Chester County Art Association in West Chester, PA, figure drawing workshops for adults at Darlington Arts Center in Garnet Valley, PA and currently holds private lessons at her studio in Garnet Valley, PA.
She is a member of numerous organizations, including the Pastel Society of America and the Portrait Society of America. She is represented by Barbara Moore Fine Arts Gallery in Chadds Ford, PA, Strodes Mill Gallery in West Chester, PA and Soma NewArt Gallery in Cape May, NJ. She juried various art exhibits, including the Rose Tree Park Exhibition of the Artist Guild of Delaware County.
Annette’s work has been published in numerous books, including “100 Artists of the Brandywine Valley”, “Best of American Artists in Pastel “and “A World of Artists”. Her exhibits have received media coverage as well, including an article published in the July 11, 2013 News Journal of Wilmington in the Crossroads section, and the August 20, 2014 Garnet Valley Press.
Annette welcomes visitors to her art studio and gallery in Garnet Valley, PA, where many works can be seen and purchased, and where private lessons are held.
Resume
Gallery Representation and Works Displayed
Strodes Mill Gallery, West Chester, PA
Barbara Moore Fine Art Gallery, Chadds Ford, PA
Soma NewArt Gallery, Cape May, NJ
Awards
First Place Professional Category Award & Third Place People’s Choice Award
“Newlin Mills Waterfall”, Oil
“Lenses On Newlin”, Newlin Grist Mills, Glen Mills, PA
November, 2015
Delaware Valley Art League Memorial Award
“Overlooking the Meadow”, Oil
“Painting in the Meadow”, Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA
July 2014
People’s Choice Award
“Extending A Kiss”, Oil
Chester County Art Association, “Party in our Park” Juried Exhibit
Awarded solo exhibition at the Penn State Malvern Campus, West Chester, PA
April, 2014
Honorable Mention
“Hawaiian Koi”, Pastel
DaVinci Art Alliance, Exotica, Philadelphia, PA
August 2013
Best of Category
Hawaiian Koi, Pastel
Artist Haven Gallery’s International Juried Exhibit, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
June 2011
First Place
“Carriage House at the Grange Estates”, Pastel
Plein Air Festival with Tyme Gallery, Havertown, PA
October 2010
Second Place
“Waiting to Dine”, Pastel
The Community Arts Center Members Juried Show, Wallingford, PA
2003
Optima Design Award
Deptford Mall Fall Catalog, NJ
1995
Who’s Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges
1985-86
Art Instruction
Howard Pile Studio
Figure Drawing Workshop, Wilmington DE, 10/26/17
Chester County Art Association
Paint Along for Adults, West Chester, PA 2012 – present
Study the Portrait, 2013
Darlington Arts Center
Fashion Illustration for Teens, Garnet Valley, PA, 2010- 2012
Capturing the Light Workshop for Adults, 2011
Adult Drawing and Painting, Substitute for Karl Kuerner, Summer 2010
Plein Air Pastel Landscape Workshop for Adults, 2008
Figure Drawing for Adults, 2006-2008
Fashion Illustration and Design for Teens, 2005-2006
Delaware County Community College
Non Credited Drawing Course for Adults, Media, PA
2014
GV Gallery One, Chadds Ford, PA
Pastel Plein Air Paint Along for Adults, 2011
Experimenting with Oils for Adults, 2011
Study the Figure for Adults, 2008 – 2010
Study the Portrait for Adults, 2008 – 2010
The Landscape for Adults, 2008 – 2010
Private Instruction
Alessi Fine Art Studio, Garnet Valley, PA
Figure Drawing for Teens
Portraiture for Adults and Teens
Landscapes for Adults
Portfolio Presentation Prep for Teens
Self Portraiture for Teens
Still Life Study for Teens
Mediums Taught: Oils, pastels, charcoal, acrylic
2008 – present
Demonstrations
Darlington Arts Center
Salute to Spring Silent Auction, Concord Country Club, West Chester, PA
Landscape Demonstration
March 2012
Fall into the Arts Silent Auction, Garnet Valley, PA
Floral Demonstration
October 2010
Chadds Ford Gallery
Impressionistic Landscape, Chadds Ford, PA
April 2010
Chadds Ford Elementary School Art Show
Demo with a Live Model
March 2010
The Artists Guild of Delaware County
Impressionistic Landscape, Springfield, PA
November 2009
Figurative Demonstration, Springfield, PA
January 2008
Hardcastle Gallery
Figure in the Landscape, Centreville, DE
September 2009
The Artists Guild of Delaware County
Figure Drawing Demo
March, 2009
Book Signing Events
Center For Creative Arts, Hockessin, DE
100 Artists of the Brandywine Valley, Catherine Quillman
March 11, 2011
Chadds Ford Gallery, Chadds Ford, PA
100 Artists of the Brandywine Valley, Catherine Quillman
December 2010
Juror
Solo Juror for Art on the Avenue – Plein Air Competition
2013
Artists Guild of Delaware County, Springfield, PA
2010
Solo Juror for Rose Tree Park Show, Media, PA
August 2010
Memberships
Pastel Society of America, NY
Portrait Society of America
Chester County Arts Association, West Chester, PA
Darlington Arts Center, Garnet Valley, PA
Media Arts Council, Media, PA
Da Vinci Alliance, Philadelphia, PA
Deleware Valley Art League, Wayne, PA
Private Collections
Chadds Ford, PA
Desoto, KS
Garnet Valley, PA
New Orleans, LA
Sinsbury, CT
West Chester, PA
Education
Art institute of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Associate Degree in Specialized Technology in Fashion Illustration
1984 – 1986
Darlington Arts Center, Garnet Valley, PA
Studied oil painting with Karl Kuerner
2003 – 2006
