Ann Gargotto grew up painting. At a very early age she started studying art with her godmother, a very successful Chicago artist.  Together they spent countless hours painting and studying art at the Art Institute of Chicago. Ann remembers being heavily influenced by such masters as Andrew Wyeth, Degas and Rembrandt.  Moving to San Francisco in her teens afforded her the opportunity to continue her studies at the Sausalito Arts Center with California artist Edie Davis. 

After receiving her college degree, Ann settled in Denver where she had the good fortune to mentor and study with a very prestigious group of Colorado artists through the Art Students League of Denver, including Quang Ho, Ron Hicks, Andrea Kemp, Kevin Weckbach and Kim English.  Ann’s primary focus is representational oil painting, and her subject matter ranges from figures and portraits to still life and nature. Named a “2011 Artist to Watch” by Southwest Art Magazine, her work has been featured in prestigious juried exhibitions, winning numerous awards, and is in private collections throughout the country.  Most recently, Ann’s floral work is featured in the 2025 May/June issue of “Artist’s Magazine.”

“I find myself attracted to strong compositions and inspired by beautiful subject matter, whether that be a flower arrangement, still life, the figure or compelling street scene.  I see art as a commitment to mastering the fundamentals but interpreting a subject with passion and originality. I find endless joy in the artistic journey of self-expression, and very much feel that which Robert Henri so beautifully stated, “The object isn’t to make art, but to be in that wonderful state that makes art inevitable.””

Ann currently resides in Denver, Colorado.  

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