Introducing Artist Annie Dong

"Who Are We" by Annie Dong and Boys & Girls
Club of Manatee County participants 

Annie Dong is an artist after my own heart. The recent New College graduate's thesis was entitled "Community Impact: Murals and Public Art." It's more than a theoretical topic for her. The culmination of her project was a large scale artwork created with the Boys & Girls Club of Manatee County. 

Using the prompt "Who Are We?," participants contributed their responses, which ranged from "openminded" to "loved" to "goofball." The quotes were added after the kids had painted the whimsical images Annie sketched on 12 large square canvases. Using canvases rather than painting on a wall both facilitated the students' participation and made the work into what's effectively a portable mural. 

"Who We Are" can now be seen at Bradenton's City Hall. Before its installation, Annie had to obtain the City Council's approval. After hearing her explanation of the project, one council member noted that the mural serves as a reminder that "at the end of the day, we're all just humans trying to coexist." Who could ask for more from a project about the impact of public art on the community? 

Annie with "Red Cranes" at New College

Annie landed on the idea of creating "Who We Are" on panels not only because it was practical. It also gave the project permanence. Annie has had some first hand experience with her hard work being painted over. This of course can happen when you create artwork on someone else's property. But in this particular case, an agreement had been reached that the murals created by Annie and four other New College students would be displayed for five years, and not even two years had passed. 

Annie's "Red Cranes" was created in connection with a class on mural painting. The students had obtained the requisite approvals, including that of the Landscape & Signage Committee. I feel confident that teacher Kim Anderson had also agreed upon the parameters of the project with the administration before offering the course. So what happened? I'm betting you can guess. 

Richard Corcoran arrived as interim president of New College in January 2023, compliments of DeSantis. It wasn't long before the walls on which the murals lived were painted white as part of Corcoran's campus "beautification" program. Call me cynical, but could the fact that some of the murals related to issues of diversity and cultural heritage have been a factor in the decision? Annie's mural celebrated her Chinese heritage, with the red-crowned cranes symbolizing happiness, good luck, marital happiness and, somewhat ironically, longevity. I'll move on from my incipient rant now, but to read more on this topic, click here.

"The Essence of Sarasota" -- mural at Art Center Sarasota Mural
by Annie Dong and Boys & Girls Club of Manatee County participants

The mural Annie created for the back of Art Center Sarasota's building -- with the assistance once again of kids from the Boys & Girls Club of Manatee County -- also has a finite life. Annie received the commission after answering a call to artists put out by the Art Center to create a mural that would be in place for two years. She said she was shocked when she was selected because she knew many nationally and internationally known mural artists had applied and she was a newcomer to the mural scene. 

Before the young artists arrived to start painting, Annie drew her design on the wall. The kids then selected the shape they wanted to paint or the color they wanted to use and Annie directed them to their spot. To see the mural come to life, click here for a short time lapse video. It's inspiring to see the process - and almost looks simple enough that I could have participated. 

Annie with "I Promise"

I'll leave you with a giclee of a mural Annie created in honor of her grandmother. Annie was born in the United States, but her earliest memories are of life in China. Her parents had moved from their native country to Florida to make a better life for themselves. But having a baby at home made it challenging for the young immigrants. And so Annie's parents made the difficult decision to send her to live with her grandmother in China until it was time for her to start school. 

Annie's transition to life in the United States as a grade schooler wasn't easy. She spoke no English, so it was difficult to make friends. In fact, the kids often made fun of her, something a child can understand whether or not they speak the same language. She turned to the school's art studio as a form of solace. There she summoned memories of the flora and fauna of China, capturing these images in bright colors that jumped off the paper. Her art retains this vestige of her earliest days as an artist. 

"I Promise" shows Annie's hand interwoven with that of her grandmother in a pinkie promise. I don't know what the vow they made was. But I do know that Annie's grandmother must be proud of the fact that Annie is following her dream while simultaneously shining a light on her culture and creating community. 

Be on the lookout for Annie's art both around Sarasota and in other locations across the state. In addition to her exterior murals, she's been busy doing commissions to perk up some businesses' interior space. Annie is particularly enthused about her mural at Salt Your Soul here in Sarasota, which you can watch come to life by clicking here. And for more of Annie's work, click here.