expressions of life fine art gallery
   Original charcoal drawings, soft pastel and oil paintings by Canadian artist Anna Sponer

Anna Sponer (Chiarelli) is a self taught Canadian artist, born and currently living in Hamilton, Ontario. Her parents, Salvatrice and Antonino Chiarelli, immigrated to Canada in the 1940’s from Racalmuto, Sicily. She is the youngest in a family of six children and the only daughter. Raised  in the predominantly Italian "north end" of Hamilton, Anna’s interest in art arose from her colourful working class surroundings. She became involved with art at an early age by spending many hours observing images and re-creating them through her drawings. She visited many prominent art galleries in Germany, Austria, Hungary and Italy and studied the paintings and sculptures created by some of the world's greatest classical and contemporary artists. Her interest grew while studying the works of the great masters. This artistic proclivity was further nurtured by her fascination with impressionism.

Anna Sponer began her gallery in 2004, by first exploring charcoal as a medium followed by soft black and white pastel and incorporating color shortly after. The majority of her latest art work is now created in oil paint on canvas. 

In Anna's gallery a diversity of artistic subjects are displayed together with the many portrait paintings of numerous persons, including works completed for three members of the Canadian Woman's National Soccer Team. 

Since 2004, Anna has held numerous exhibitions throughout the Greater Hamilton Area and has been commissioned to create original paintings for individuals and corporations in the United States, Europe and across Canada.

Her diverse collection of paintings represent the impressionistic style with a touch of expressionism. She has a unique way of visualizing and creating exceptional works of art. By utilizing her images, studying and exposing them to the public they become real, personal and in depth. Anna's treatment of lighting and shadows, emphasized in her portraits and other artistic subjects, dynamically embrace and transcend the expression of human emotions. 

Anna Sponer is a member of McMaster Museum of Art,  Women's Art Association of Hamilton (WAAH)  and Arts Hamilton  visual arts committee.  Since 2006, she partakes in evaluating art work submitted by local artists for prospective exhibitions presented in the Arts Hamilton Gallery. She had also judged visual art for the "Street Canvas 2007-2008" contest held by the Downtown Hamilton Business Improvement Area;  instructed and demonstrated her art at Mother Teresa's Elementary School in Hamilton (2005); was a nominee for the City of Hamilton's 2004 Arts Awards and actively supports various charities.

Anna's paintings have been presented in The Hamilton Spectator,  the Hamilton Mountain News and aired on CHCH-TV community events covering the 23rd International Spring Art Exhibition, organized by Hamilton Folk Arts Heritage Council; and shown during the Hamilton Literary Awards (2007) presented by Arts Hamilton.

The AGH (Art Gallery of Hamilton) has put her art on display in the spring of 2007, 2008 and 2009 in a juried exhibition presented by the Women's Art Association of Hamilton (WAAH). Her pastel painting titled "Alone" was  exhibited and sold during the AGH (Art Gallery of Hamilton) 2008 Spring Exhibition in the "Jean and Ross Fischer Gallery".

"To Dance", an oil on canvas art piece (especially created for Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation) was auctioned off with all the proceeds going to Mac Kids. The art piece was generously donated by the buyer to Mac Kids to be permanently exhibited at McMaster Children's Hospital in Hamilton Ontario (2008).

Anna and her brother Charly Chiarelli (Canadian story teller, musician and writer) are currently working on a project together to be completed in 2009.

Accolades

"Sponer is a self-taught artist who has developed an excellent ability to use the blending qualities of the pastel medium to create... "
- Elaine Hujer - Freelance writer for The Hamilton Spectator  (2005)

"A more enigmatic narrative is at the heart of Anna Sponer's  "Alone"... "

-Regina Haggo -  Art Columnist for The Hamilton Spectator  (2008)

"Its a beautiful piece (To Dance) and will hang in a place of honour at Mac Kids..."

-Dan Mclean - Senior Anchor for CHCH News,  Hamilton, Ontario (2008)

e-mail:   anna@annasponer.com

 
Profile updated February, 2009
© Copyright 2004 to 2010 Anna Sponer.