Ani Eastwood

ANI EASTWOOD

We caught up with Arts Missoula Member Ani Eastwood to learn more about her upcoming show, “Bloom” at the Artist’s Shop, her motivation to paint, and to hear about her process of creating.

Ani Eastwood has been working on her upcoming show for two years. The show, “Bloom”, features all new original oil paintings centered around themes of nature, springtime, and rejuvenation while bringing influences of Abstract Impressionism to the forefront. The loose brush strokes and ideas behind the pieces are inspired by Western Montana locations.

When asked what drew her to Abstract Impressionism for this body of work, Ani referenced wanting “the beauty of the image to speak out more than a tangible place.  I have really had the desire in the work to just let it be what it is at the start without trying to control the painting very much. Just capturing that first impression and emotion.” It is often “the small things that strike me and get me out of my daily grind and remind me to look up and out.  A type of flower or grass, the color on the hills.”

This shines through strongly in her art, the colors and subjects bring together that effervescent joy of being outdoors, in a beautiful place, while calling in the feeling of being a part of something much larger than yourself. Ani says it best, saying “I think this is the universal thread. I think when we depart from needing reality and realism, we allow ourselves to just feel more and be in the moment.  That is my hope with this show, that it just captures that joy of spring, being out and relaxed in nature.”

Ani’s newest show can be found through the month of May at the Artist’s Shop in downtown Missoula. We encourage everyone to stop in and enjoy this incredible homage to the natural world around us.

First Friday, May 1st

5:00-8:00pm

The Artists’ Shop.